James Gunn Reveals His Strategy to Surpass the MCU and Former DCEU

James Gunn has a substantial history in the superhero realm, having contributed to the highly successful ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise within the MCU and being involved with Snyder’s troubled DCEU.

When Gunn and Peter Safran took over DC Studios, they announced a complete reboot along with a full slate of new projects. However, actions speak louder than words. Now, more than a year since their initial announcement, we have a clearer understanding of how Gunn plans to craft a cinematic universe that aims to surpass both the MCU and the former DCEU.

Gunn is currently busy filming ‘Superman’ in Cleveland, which has been transformed into Metropolis for the upcoming movie. Set leaks have generated excitement, though Corenswet’s Superman suit has received mixed reviews.

Gunn has previously shared his enthusiasm about creating a new cinematic universe from scratch, describing the experience as “having a blast.” He also insists that the voices of individual creators involved in the process must be heard.

“No, it’s been a blast and artists have had a good time being in on the ground floor of this, helping us to build a universe that still retains the voices of the individual filmmakers”

Snyder’s DCEU was heavily impacted by studio interference, leading to significant creative differences between Snyder and Warner Bros. This resulted in inconsistent tones and storylines, with several DCEU films underperforming at the box office, diminishing the studio’s confidence in the direction of the franchise.

In the MCU, Bob Iger recently acknowledged that a lack of executive presence on sets, particularly for ‘The Marvels,’ affected quality control. It’s well-known that Disney’s MCU projects faced significant box office losses last year, with only one film turning a profit.

Gunn has confirmed that the DC Universe will expand beyond films and shows to include animation projects and video games, which are expected to be major strengths of the franchise. He also intends for actors to reprise their roles across all forms of media. For instance, Frank Grillo will voice Rick Flag Sr. in ‘Creature Commandos’ and is also set to reprise the role in live-action projects like ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 and ‘Superman,’ according to recent set leaks.

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