Sean Gunn promises a new interpretation of Maxwell Lord in DC Studios’ DCU

AS James Gunn reshapes the DC Universe, a familiar face is taking a key role… Sean Gunnwho will play Maxwell Lord in the upcoming DC Studios DCU.

While Pedro Pasquale he brought the character to life Wonder Woman 1984 as a flamboyant and morally ambiguous villain, Sean Gunn’s version will diverge significantly and be more in line with the comic book portrayal.

Sean, known for his performances in The suicide squad AND Guardians of the Galaxyis no stranger to James Gunn projects.

Fans have already seen him as Weasel and GI Robot Commando of creaturesand now he’s preparing to take on Maxwell Lord in a new way.

Unlike Pascal’s interpretation, which leaned heavily on the excess and charisma of the ’80s, Gunn aims for a new interpretation of the iconic antagonist.

In a recent interview, Sean Gunn highlighted the differences between his performance and Pascal’s. Gunn explained:

“I can tell you that the only obvious thing is that I’m the one playing the role. That doesn’t just mean I’m going to give a different interpretation.

“Your body is the conduit of what you’re doing, so obviously… no one is going to confuse me and Pedro Pascal’s performance. So obviously we’re going to do something different.”

He explained how his approach is rooted in James Gunn’s vision for the character, which draws from the comics rather than previous films:

“I think James is good at directing me to relevant source material. So, I think, the whole concept of the character takes a different kind of approach.

“I saw the movie and Pedro is obviously a great actor, but what he does in that movie isn’t really relevant to what I’m doing.”

In the comics, Maxwell Lord starts out as a savvy entrepreneur and superhero ally before becoming a manipulative villain. His mastery of mind control and moral descent made him an interesting villain.

Tips from Superman: set photos suggest that Lord’s “LordTech” venture could employ key heroes like Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific.

Whether he will immediately lean into his evil tendencies or evolve into a darker force later remains a mystery.

The DC Universe kicks off with Superman: and will reintroduce the character as a hero driven by compassion and hope. The film will be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.