James Gunn has strongly shut down inaccurate casting reports for his upcoming Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, calling the journalism “shoddy” and “incorrect.”
With filming scheduled to begin this summer, buzz surrounding the highly anticipated DC Studios project intensified on Wednesday after Deadline claimed that Ella Purnell, Adria Arjona, and Marisa Abela were among the top contenders for the role of Maxima.
The 59-year-old filmmaker and DC Studios co-CEO quickly took to Threads to set the record straight, expressing clear disappointment in the outlet’s reporting.
“Deadline’s reporting is shoddy & incorrect. I’ve always thought Deadline was pretty thorough in their journalism but that’s not the case here so I’m frankly disappointed,” Gunn wrote.
“If someone would have run these names by us we would have said it’s bullshit.”
He continued:
“I’ve been friends with Adria a long time since I cast her in The Belko Experiment. I’m a fan of both Marisa and Ella but I’ve never met either of them. Crazy.”
Following Gunn’s public denial, Deadline promptly revised its story, removing Ella Purnell and Marisa Abela from the list of actresses reportedly testing for the role. Adria Arjona, however, remains linked to the project along with newly mentioned names: Grace Van Patten, Sydney Chandler, and Eva De Dominici.
The outlet later issued a brief statement acknowledging the update:
“Deadline went through its normal editorial process in the news gathering for this story. After a review in light of new information regarding the actors involved, the story has been updated.”
Gunn’s sharp response highlights his hands-on approach to managing expectations and protecting the integrity of the DC Universe’s next big chapter as Superman: Man of Tomorrow gears up for production.
