James Gunn has been working to introduce superhero fans to a new DCU since he took over as the co-CEO of DC Studios. Followed by several ups and downs in Zack Snyder’s DCEU, many fans have great expectations from the filmmaker. However, new reports have suggested that the studio might be on the verge of repeating a mistake that led to the downfall of the DC Extended Universe, which will end with the release of the Aquaman sequel.
There have been claims that the Man of Steel director had to alter his decisions and vision for his DC projects as demanded by the studio, which ended up affecting the whole picture. A Variety report claims that Warner Bros. is taking a similar approach toward James Gunn’s DCU as well.
James Gunn Reportedly Doesn’t Have Full Creative Control Over New DCU
When James Gunn joined the DC Studios as co-CEO with Peter Safran, the duo was expected to be in charge of the new DCU. However, a new report from Variety states that there has been some confusion about the same, as the studio-owned MAX is “creatively involved with the DC slate.”
This has raised questions as to how much authority Gunn and Safran hold in the situation. While the filmmaker has assured fans that the studio would not interfere in DC projects, the recent reports seemingly contradict his claims that DC is separate from Warner Bros.
The report suggests that the DC Studios’ co-CEOs may not have the same authority as Kevin Feige has for the MCU franchise. However, it also claims that things have been relatively smooth between the DC team and Max executives Sarah Aubrey and Casey Bloys.
And the result of this collaboration would be seen in The Batman spin-off, The Penguin. It is believed that it was the studio took the same measures as Zack Snyder, who had a lot of artistic ideas and creative vision but had to cut them short to operate under strict studio demands.
Read More: One Major Difference Between Kevin Feige’s MCU Role and James Gunn’s Role of Co-CEO in DC Studios
Warner Bros. Expected to be Sold to New Owner
The report from Variety also suggests that all the DC plans would feel “quaint,” as it states that Warner Bros. would likely be sold to another company, most likely Universal, in future years. The studio is one of the longest-running and biggest-name studios in Hollywood. The studio has had one of its biggest hits with Margot Robbie starrer, Barbie, this year.
However, the Wall Street analyst and venture capitalist, Rich Greenfield, has claimed that the studio needs DC properties to achieve success, as it is one of the valuable franchises of the studio and significantly impacts its financial outlook. “The bottom line is they need to get DC to work whether Zaslav owns it, whether Brian Roberts owns it, whether somebody else owns it,” the analyst said, as per Variety.
