“Wasn’t he spread too thin already?”: WB Reportedly Actually Asked Kevin Feige to Head DCU Before Choosing James Gunn

kevin feige james gunn dc
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When it comes to creating universes and constructing long-running movie franchises, everybody wants a Kevin Feige on their team. Warner Bros. Discovery had been hunting for its own Kevin Feige for some time now, and that ended up being James Gunn and Peter Safran. However, very few knew that Warner Bros. Discovery sought Kevin Feige himself.

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Marvel vs DC
Marvel vs DC

While Feige has worked hard to ensure that the interconnected series of films and TV shows function well in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it appears that Feige was in talks with Warner Bros. Discovery under David Zaslav to lead the DCU at one point.

Also Read: James Gunn Reveals the Second Person He Told About Becoming DCU Head After Kevin Feige (& It Wasn’t Jennifer Holland)

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WB wanted Kevin Feige to lead DCU

Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios, is in charge of the enormously popular Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the release of the first Iron Man in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) redefined blockbuster entertainment, introducing the shared universe concept that is still going strong 14 years later. 

The franchise is currently at the end of Phase 4 with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wrapping up this phase. The MCU has grossed more than $25 billion at the movie office worldwide.

The MCU
The MCU

Following the critical and commercial success of the MCU, other studios attempted to develop their own shared universes. Unsurprisingly, Warner Bros. continued to support the DC Extended Universe, beginning with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. The polarised reception to that film, as well as Batman v Superman and the theatrical version of Justice League, put DC movies in peril.

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Related: “It depends on this”: Kevin Feige Claims Tenoch Huerta’s Namor Spin-off Depends on Black Panther 2 Reception

David Zaslav, the head of Warner Bros. Discovery, was determined to find his own version of the Marvel mastermind to guide the DCEU’s forthcoming ten-year plan. “We have done a reset,” he stated in a recent interview  “We’ve restructured the business so that we can focus on DC, and there will be a team with a ten-year plan.  It’s very similar to the structure that Alan Horn and Bob Iger created with Kevin Feige at Disney.”

Superman vs Black Adam - concept art
Superman vs Black Adam – concept art

The DCEU began well enough, with fans enthusiastic about Zack Snyder’s vision for characters such as Batman and Superman, but after his departure from Justice League, everything came apart rapidly. While there have been some highs for Warner Bros., such as Aquaman, there is very little continuity between the films, which has effectively prevented Warner Bros. from producing anything comparable to what Disney and Marvel Studios have accomplished.

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Kevin Feige spread too thin with MCU lately

Kevin Feige has been reported to be spread too thin at Marvel Studios, which has resulted in a variety of complications, including Tariq Bassam’s departure from the Blade film. This should not come as a surprise. However, this concerns fans slightly because it could imply that the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU ) is at risk.

This should not come as a surprise. He’s been in control of Marvel Studios for a long time, and he’s had to manage a lot of things at once. His work has only gotten more difficult as time has passed. One of the primary reasons for this is that Marvel Studios is now doing far more than it did at the start. They’re no longer making two movies a year. They produce up to three films every year, as well as a few TV shows for Disney+.

James Gunn and Kevin Feige
James Gunn and Kevin Feige

Also Read: “I’ll be first in line to see anything he does”: Kevin Feige Proves MCU/DC Rivalry Means Nothing to Him As Marvel Studios President Hypes Up James Gunn As DCU Head

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Although, it’s a good thing that Kevin Feige chose to stick with MCU till the end. Fans, on the other hand, are rejoicing with the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran to head the DCU under Warner Bros. Discovery. 

Gunn is renowned for directing DC films like The Suicide Squad and the HBO Max series Peacemaker and who isn’t familiar with his Marvel Blockbusters, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 1 and 2.

Source: Twitter

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Written by Rishav Deb Roy

Articles Published: 142

Rishav Deb Roy is currently pursuing his graduate degree in Cost and Management Accounts from Chandigarh University and he is also a budding Chartered Accountant aspirant. He has always been passionate about writing and has been honing his skills since a very early age. He uses his writing skills to help businesses create compelling content that engages and informs their audiences. Rishav says he has a passion to research on many things, especially anything related to pop culture. He’s been following them since a very early age and is eager to work on them. Currently, he is working as a Content Writer at Fandomwire.