James Gunn pitched the perfect DC Universe casting 23 years ago. Now, as the co-CEO of DC Studios, he can finally make this perfect match happen.

•  James Gunn wanted Matthew Lillard to play Plastic Man in a movie 23 years ago, but it never happened.
•  With Gunn now co-CEO of DC Studios, the timing is perfect for Lillard’s portrayal of the DC hero.
•  Plastic Man’s malleable look and Lillard’s charismatic acting make him a great fit for the upcoming DC Universe.

James Gunn failed to get one DC character off the ground 23 years ago, but the time is finally right for his perfect pairing to hit the big screen in the new DC Universe. Despite some undeniable high points over its 10-year run, the DC Extended Universe, which started with 2013’s Man of Steel, will come to a close when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases this December. Replacing it will be a new DC Universe canon, complete with a bevy of new characters and a more unified narrative plan for the future.

Several characters have already been confirmed as DC Universe canon, but far more are yet to be revealed. While there’s little doubt that previously established and beloved characters like Wonder Woman and The Flash will join the new cinematic universe sooner than later, perhaps more exciting is the opportunity for brand-new characters that haven’t hitherto appeared on the big screen to finally be given their time to shine. As such, and with Gunn now the co-CEO of DC Studios, the time has never been better for the perfect pairing of actor and DC hero to finally come to fruition.

James Gunn Wanted Matthew Lillard To Play Plastic Man 23 Years Ago

While James Gunn is perhaps best known as the writer and director of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, he tackled another pop-culture franchise several years earlier. Gunn worked on both Scooby-Doo: The Movie and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, both of which featured Matthew Lillard as Shaggy. Gunn confirmed on Twitter that in 2000, while he was involved with Lillard through the Scooby-Doo franchise, he pitched a Plastic Man movie to the then-head of Warner Bros., Lorenzo di Bonaventura.

Unfortunately, the movie never came to pass. Despite several other rumors over the years about Plastic Man appearing on the big screen, either in a solo project or as a cameo, the stretchy hero has remained in the realm of animation. While the character undoubtedly comes with challenges that make him more difficult to adapt than many comic book characters, the time is right to finally give Plastic Man a chance.

Why The Time Is Right For Matthew Lillard’s Plastic Man

While a Plastic Man movie could have theoretically happened at any time in the 23 years between 2000 and now, the stars seem particularly well-aligned for him to appear in DC’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters.It’s rare that an actor can remain an attractive choice for a superhero for over two decades, but Plastic Man’s malleable look (and the amount of CG that would be involved in any action scenes) mean that he’s really quite age-agnostic. Lillard remains as charismatic an actor as he ever was, and his career has showcased his ability to funny, charming, and even intimidating in equal measure – all qualities necessary for Plastic Man.

Recent casting announcements for Superman: Legacy also make Plastic Man seem like a great fit for the upcoming DC Universe. The Man of Steel’s first cinematic outing in the new shared universe will feature appearances by Mister Terrific and Metamorpho, two characters involved with The Terrifics, a group that also predominantly features Plastic Man. If that team is to appear in live-action, it would be the perfect time for the DC Universe to introduce a hero whose appearance is long overdue.