James Gunn is recalling how Project Hail Mary writer Drew Goddard helped change the ending of Superman.

Superman is the new DCU movie that flies into theaters in just a couple of weeks. Written and directed by Gunn, it stars David Corenswet as the titular Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor.

What did James Gunn say about Superman’s ending?

Speaking with Collider, Gunn recalled how Goddard gave him some advice that resulted in Superman not having a “dark ending.”

“Drew Goddard was really helpful,” Gunn explained. “I think there were a couple of little things in the movie — like three or four things that we really argued about in the film. All of them had to do with things that were a little bit darker or a little bit lighter. In discussing one of them, Drew Goddard was like, ‘You know what? It’s just not that film. It’s not that film with this little dark ending bit.’ I thought, ‘Oh, you know what? He’s right. It is not that film. It is not that film.’ So, that line that he said stuck with me for the rest of editing.”

In addition to the upcoming Project Hail Mary movie, Goddard was a writer on 2008’s Cloverfield, 2013’s World War Z, and 2015’s The Martian, while he also wrote and directed 2011’s The Cabin in the Woods and 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale. In television, he’s worked on shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Alias, Lost, Daredevil, The Good Place, and more.

Superman will be released in United States movie theaters and IMAX on July 11, 2025, from Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Studios as part of the DCU’s first chapter, titled “Gods and Monsters.” The next DCU project after that will be Peacemaker Season 2, which arrives in August.

Originally reported by Brandon Schreur at SuperHeroHype.