DC Star Says Justice League Can’t Compete With The Avengers — And Knew It All Along

Marvel vs. DC debates are usually loud enough on their own, but every so often someone from inside the movie machines throws a little gasoline on the fire. In 2017, that someone was Diane Lane — yes, Martha Kent herself — and her answer was as blunt as they come.

The moment that set fans off

Lane popped up on the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen After Show on May 9, 2017. During a call-in segment, a fan asked two things: did she have any Justice League spoilers, and did she think it could go toe-to-toe with Marvel's The Avengers.

"No and no. Short but honest. I hate to disappoint."

It was quick, it was honest, and it was definitely not the hype line DC fans wanted to hear.

Why that stung — and also kind of tracked

Lane had been a core part of the early DC run, playing Clark Kent's mom, Martha, in 2013's Man of Steel alongside Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. That first movie also featured Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, and Laurence Fishburne — big names, big swing.

But her comment came at a messy moment for Justice League. The movie was already in post-production when Zack Snyder stepped away after the death of his daughter, Autumn. Joss Whedon — the guy who directed The Avengers — was brought in, tweaked the script, and steered reshoots before the theatrical cut hit theaters. Fans felt the final product wasn't what Snyder had set up, which turned into its own saga. Snyder eventually released his version in 2021 as Zack Snyder's Justice League, and that cut landed much closer to what many supporters wanted from the start.

Where the original DCEU ended up

The run that started with Man of Steel wrapped with 2023's The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti and led by Ezra Miller. It also looped in the broader roster — Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, and Michael Shannon back as General Zod.

Between those points, there was a moment where it looked like the old guard might continue. Henry Cavill cameoed in Black Adam and audiences lost it. Then Warner Bros. announced a reboot anyway.

The reboot: Gunn takes the wheel, 'Superman' kicks it off

James Gunn now co-runs the DC Universe with Peter Safran, and Gunn knows his way around a team-up thanks to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The first movie in this new continuity, Superman, hit theaters on July 11, 2025. Early reception has been strong: it is sitting at 7.1/10 on IMDb and 83% on Rotten Tomatoes. The cast is stacked too — David Corenswet as Clark, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois, and Nicolas Hoult as Lex, with Isabela Merced, Milly Alcock, and Edi Gathegi in the mix.

Quick recap so the timeline makes sense

• 2013: Man of Steel launches the DCEU, starring Henry Cavill with Diane Lane as Martha Kent.
• May 9, 2017: On an Andy Cohen After Show call-in, Lane answers whether she has Justice League spoilers and if it can rival The Avengers with a very direct "No and no."
• 2017: As Justice League is in post, Zack Snyder exits; Joss Whedon steps in, rewrites, and leads reshoots before the theatrical release.
• 2021: Zack Snyder's Justice League lands, offering the long-promised alternate cut.
• 2023: The Flash effectively closes the book on that continuity, bringing back Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, and Michael Shannon.
• Along the way: Henry Cavill briefly returns in Black Adam, sparking hope for a continuation before the reboot plan is confirmed.
• July 11, 2025: James Gunn's Superman opens the new DCU, earning strong early marks (IMDb 7.1/10, Rotten Tomatoes 83%) with David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicolas Hoult leading.

So yes, years before the reboot, Martha Kent called her shot about The Avengers vs. Justice League, and the rest of the story kind of wrote itself. Now it's on Gunn and company to build a DC Universe that can actually go punch-for-punch with Marvel — on screen and in the crowd.