“Because Pedro Pascal was dreadful in WW84”: James Gunn Has Not Taken Any Inspiration From One of the Worst Villains From Zack Snyder’s DCEU For a Superman Character

James Gunn is giving one Zack Snyder’s DCEU villain a fresh start in Superman, without taking cues from Pedro Pascal’s version in WW84.

The cinematic world of DC is about to get a whole new look and experience with James Gunn rebooting the entire DC cinematic universe. Starting with the animated series Creature Commandos, and Superman, Gunn is bringing in a whole new slate of characters, and actors, as well as bringing back old characters in a new form. One of these many characters is Maxwell Lord.

Previously seen twice in live-action, the villain has hardly gotten the recognition he deserves primarily because his portrayal has been far from what fans expected it to be. Now, to be portrayed by Sean Gunn, the actor revealed exciting details about his approach to the character, raising the hopes and expectations of fans in the process.

James Gunn’s Maxwell Lord will Be a Whole New Character Unlike Previous Live-Action Versions

With James Gunn helming the DC universe, expectations are already sky-high. Given his filmmaking talent and previous works, fans have been hoping that the director will bring about more comic-accurate characters with his revamped DC universe. One of these characters that the DC fandom is excited to see is Maxwell Lord.

A complex character, who goes on from being a wealthy businessman to a villain with mind control powers, Lord is a master manipulator seeking to control superheroes. The character has so far gotten two live-action versions: one by Peter Facinelli in the series Supergirl and one by Pedro Pascal in Zack Snyder‘s DCEU’s Wonder Woman 1984 (directed by Petty Jenkins).

However, none of them have been comic-accurate as fans wanted or even resonated with fans. But that might change soon, for Sean Gunn is the actor portraying Maxwell Lord in the upcoming Superman. While talking to The Wrap about his approach to the character, he revealed,

I can’t talk too much about it. I can say that my brother James and I did discuss… we did talk about about relevant materials, and we discussed the character in detail on before I dove in. We referenced no live performances of the character. It’s all from written materials with things that we figure we’re looking at.

Thus, taking no inspiration from one of the worst villains of Snyder’s DCEU and Facinelli’s portrayal, Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord will be a whole new leaf in comparison to other live-action portrayals. An exciting detail, Gunn’s revelation has made fans even more enthusiastic, many of whom cannot wait to see the Guardians of the Galaxy star portray the iconic villain.

Fans Excited to See Sean Gunn Play Maxwell Lord in James Gunn’s Superman

Maxwell Lord is not particularly as well-known as other antagonists of the DC world, but he is a fairly intriguing character. A morally ambiguous figure who undergoes a drastic transformation to become one of the Justice League’s fiercest adversaries, Lord will be a worthy addition to the live-action DC universe helmed by James Gunn.

While many have been berating Gunn for casting his own brother as the villainous character, one cannot deny that Sean Gunn is one of the best and most able actors to take on the complex role. Known for his ability to seamlessly blend into different roles and genres, most DC fans cannot wait to see him play Lord.

So when his latest interview went viral, this is how many fans responded:

With James Gunn at the helm, fans can hardly wait to see Sean Gunn’s version of Maxwell Lord and his take on the character. As many await James Gunn’s fresh take on the DC universe, there is no denying that things look promising for the DC universe.

With a promising new direction, it’s an exciting time for the DC fandom as they look forward to the evolution of various beloved DC characters on the big screen.

Superman is slated to release on 11 July 2025.