Did you know that we almost got to see Darth Vader battle Superman from DC?
However, it didn’t happen. Here’s the full story of why DC almost collaborated with Star Wars and why it ultimately fell through.
Superman Took On Darth Vader
Back in 2017, writer Kurt Busiek dropped a bombshell revelation that he and iconic artist Alex Ross once pitched a crossover between Star Wars and DC Comics.
The idea was developed sometime before Disney acquired Lucasfilm, with Busiek and Ross—the duo behind the legendary Marvel miniseries—at the helm.
Ross even shared some tantalizing concept art online, sparking imaginations everywhere. But as Busiek explained, corporate hurdles and financial disagreements derailed the entire project.
At the Tampa Bay Comic Convention, former DC editor and publisher Dan DiDio weighed in, offering his perspective on the project’s demise.
According to DiDio, the crossover’s potential was bogged down by creative disputes. “There was fighting over what you could and couldn’t do, and who gets the better shot, and who gets the hero moment…it wasn’t worth it,” he said.
DiDio added that the creator behind the pitch—presumably Busiek—was frustrated by the decision to scrap the idea.
However, Busiek later clarified the situation, countering DiDio’s claims. In a post on Bluesky, he explained that the project didn’t even make it far enough for creative disputes to arise.
“DC wanted half the money, which was standard in a crossover deal. Lucasfilm wanted half the money, which was standard for their licensing deal. Dark Horse wanted some of the money, and so did Alex and I. So you can see where the math didn’t add up,” Busiek wrote.
With Lucasfilm now under Disney’s ownership, a crossover between DC and Star Wars seems more unlikely than ever.
If such a project were to happen, it would probably involve Marvel Comics, also owned by Disney.