James Gunn, Co-CEO of DC Studios, recently revealed new details about the DC Cinematic Universe (DCU). There were many theories about how his sudden switch from Marvel to DC might affect both universes when the news of his transfer first broke.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) received a breath of fresh air thanks to Gunn’s distinctive storytelling approach, which skillfully merged humor, heart, and action. The 57-year-old filmmaker, however, seems eager to reintroduce his distinctive directing style to the DC Universe, promising a renewed emphasis on individual superheroes and their stand-alone stories.
After several years of a shared universe, The Peacemaker director now plans to make things right by having our favorite—and some lesser-known DC characters—focus less on continuity and more on individual projects. It most likely signals the end of the DCU (interconnected universes) that we were familiar with.
James Gunn Aims for DCU’s ‘Individual’ Storytelling Revolution
James Gunn, in contrast to most, has a very friendly online persona. He listens to people and responds with insightful answers while also providing hints as to what will ultimately happen in DCU. In a recent Threads post, he discussed his opinion of how audiences should watch these films and, in doing so, he took a shot at Marvel:
“If you think of anything as ‘investing time and effort’, no matter what shared universe, you definitely shouldn’t be! Every story should be enjoyed and worth partaking in, in and of itself, without its attachment to an outside world. If it feels like homework, screw it.”
Gunn’s suggested change might make it possible to explore the complexities of each superhero’s journey while stepping back from narratives that were closely intertwined. He continued by adding:
“‘Shared universes’ should add fun to the individual stories, not the other way around. The individual stories and characters are much more important to me than the connections between them.”
The DCU as we knew it may be coming to an end because, according to his statements, a new universe of standalone solo projects may be in the works. After that, the filmmaker added the following (Threads):
“Some actors will be playing characters they’ve played in other stories & some plot points might be consistent with plot points from the dozens of films, shows & animated projects that have come from DC in the past. But nothing is canon until CC and Legacy.”
James Gunn Confirms 3 Actors Continuing Their Roles in the New DC Universe
It appears that Jaime Reyes’ (Xolo Maridueña) story is still unfolding after Blue Beetle’s underwhelming box office performance this summer. James Gunn stated in a post on his Threads profile that the actor will return to the new DC Universe as the protagonist. In addition, he mentioned two other actors whose journey would continue in the new DC Universe.
“Xolo Maridueña will continue playing Blue Beetle in the DCU, as Viola Davis will Amanda Waller and John Cena will Peacemaker.”
Along with Maridueña reprising his role as Reyes in a future project, Gunn also revealed that Viola Davis will play Amanda Waller again and that John Cena’s Peacemaker will also join the action once the new DC Universe is made available to viewers. Both characters, like Blue Beetle, will exhibit characteristics from earlier iterations, but this does not necessarily mean they will be the same individuals who appeared in earlier works.
James Gunn made these comments after DC movies had a challenging run this year with Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle. All these films received disappointing box office receptions.
Only time will tell how this paradigm change will play out. However, with Gunn at the helm, fans can undoubtedly start looking forward to a revitalized DC Universe that proudly stands on the merits of its unique storylines.
