One of the quiet challenges facing James Gunn as he rebuilds DC Studios has never really been about characters; it’s been about people. The DC Extended Universe might have fallen under its own weight, yet its cast established actual bonds with viewers.
People did not simply like Aquaman, Wonder Woman, or Superman, but liked Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Henry Cavill. Breaking the connection entirely was a risk of emotional whiplash, and re-creating iconic roles was a risk of never-ending comparisons. Instead of acting like there was no attachment, Gunn seems to have accepted it, and the first trailer of ‘Supergirl’ demonstrates how.
The Lobo Reveal Isn’t Just Fan Service, It’s Strategy
In a short yet shocking appearance, Jason Momoa returns to the DC Universe, not as Aquaman, but as Lobo, the intergalactic antihero that fans have long desired him to portray. And in the process, the DCU is able to resolve a problem that previously seemed inevitable. They have made it clear that they know how to proceed with the old Justice League without abandoning everything that audiences enjoyed about it.
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‘Supergirl’s trailer, which was released before the film debuted on June 26, 2026, focuses mostly on Kara Zor-El. It teases a colder, more tragic Kryptonian journey, steeped in science fiction rather than bright optimism. The images are more defined, the tone is darker, and the galaxy seems threatening in a manner that the DCU has not yet fully achieved. Then comes Lobo.
The moment Jason Momoa appeared as the Main Man, the conversation online was hijacked immediately and rightfully so. Gone is the king of Atlantis in the sun. Instead, there is a dripping, chalk-white, muscle-bound alien biker, full of attitude and comic-book precision. The makeup, the posture, the pure anarchic vitality make Momoa look like he stepped straight out of DC Comics.
This isn’t nostalgia bait. It is not a desperate effort to hold on to the past. Rather, it feels like a confident acknowledgment of what worked before, while cleanly severing them from characters tied to a continuity that no longer exists. Momoa’s casting works because it respects the audience. The audience is not being forced to forget about Aquaman or deny his existence. They are being presented with something new, daring, and absolutely different. And that distinction matters.
DC’s Past Isn’t Being Erased, It’s Being Reimagined
The lack of a ‘Justice League’ film in the DCU schedule has been felt, but not missed. This is mostly due to the fact that such projects as Superman and Supergirl are quietly preparing the ground instead of charging at a team-up. The fact that the Justice Gang was introduced in ‘Superman’ is an indication that shared-universe storytelling is happening, however, not at the cost of character growth.
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Momoa’s playing supports that philosophy. Gunn is redefining the actor-role relationship instead of making audiences accept completely new faces as substitutes for their favorite ones. The message appears to be: the DCU appreciates performers, not costumes. That leaves the door open to possibilities that were previously unthinkable.
This strategy also avoids one of the largest problems that the DCEU had to deal with: confusing audiences, and no clumsy overlapping. Lobo is not Aquaman under a different name. He is visually, tonally, and narratively different. Even an average viewer will know the difference. If this is the blueprint moving forward, the DCU may finally have something it’s long lacked: momentum rooted in confidence, not correction.
