No Darkseid in James Gunn's DC Universe
James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, says Darkseid isn't the main villain in the first chapter of his rebooted DC Universe.
He shared that Snyder's take on Darkseid in Justice League—and Marvel's Thanos—led him to avoid repetition: "Using Darkseid as the big bad now is not necessarily the thing... because Zack [Snyder] did it so cool in his way and because of Thanos and Marvel."
'Darkseid' and 'Salvation': The buzzwords
Darkseid is a legendary DC villain who had a brief but memorable appearance in Zack Snyder's Justice League. Snyder planned bigger things for him—including sequels that never happened.
In the comics, Salvation is tied to Darkseid's army, but Gunn has switched it up for his universe—it'll be an ARGUS-run metahuman prison instead.
Meanwhile, here's what's next for Gunn's DCU
Gunn hinted at reimagining New Gods lore with characters like Mister Miracle and acknowledged the possibility that villains like Ultraman could show up in Salvation.
Up next: Supergirl drops June 26, 2026, which he describes as a "cosmic adventure" with Guardians of the Galaxy vibes.