To rebrand the DC universe, Warner Brothers announced the appointment of Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn as the Head and CEO of DC studios along with producer and long-time associate of Warner Brothers, Peter Safran, on the 1st of November, 2022. The duo’s portfolio includes leading the studio’s film, television, and animation departments as well as expanding on the vision of DCU. This news is especially sensational as it indicates a shift of loyalty by James Gunn who has been executive producer for Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: End Game. What does his move mean for the future of both franchises?
Avengers star Mark Ruffalo Believes that James Gunn is DC’s gain and Marvel’s loss
At the recent Emerald City Comic Con, Marvel actor Mark Ruffalo was asked to comment on James Gunn’s new position as the head of DC and the advice he would give to the franchise for its future plotlines. The actor addressed the question by replying,
“I would say, hire James Gunn, ’cause nobody does it better. And Marvel should be sweating because James Gunn is a really gifted filmmaker and I think he’s going to be amazing for that franchise.”
While the Spotlight actor has never worked with or been directed by The Peacemaker director in an MCU film, James Gunn’s characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy had important roles to play in the Avengers franchise. Mark Ruffalo’s comments probably come after experiencing James Gunn’s work in the Guardian of the Galaxy.
What has James Gunn got lined up for the DCU?
Ever since filmmaker and producer James Gunn took over DC studios, there have been a lot of discussions about what his first line of action would be to reboot the DC franchise. To being with, the first film in his tenure will be Superman: Legacy, which is slated to release only in 2025. In addition, the Suicide Squad director will be mentoring other unreleased DC films, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash in March and June respectively. Having never run a studio before, the fans and audiences will have to wait and see what the director brings to the table.
These speculations are made even more interesting by the fact that James Gunn still has one leg inside the Marvel Universe, with the 3rd installment of Guardians of the Galaxy hitting theatres, sandwiched between the two DC films, in May. The prediction for all these films and the 2 franchises is already garnering a lot of buzz on social media between fandoms. Come summer, the verdict will be delivered.
Source: The Direct
