James Gunn is now the co-CEO of DC Studios and is currently developing various projects to build up his new DCU. Gunn is deeply passionate and wants to present a unique DCU that will bring the brand back to form after a series of flops. He has already delivered two great projects in the DCU with 2021’s The Suicide Squad and 2022’s Peacemaker.
Gunn introduced some wacky yet relatable characters with the Peacemaker series and The Suicide Squad. The latter had King Shark and no one thought that the character would turn out to be the scene-stealer of the film. Sylvester Stallone, who voiced the character in the film, fell in love with the character and was enthusiastic to bring the character to life.
Sylvester Stallone Wanted To Bring a Certain Dimension and Emotion to King Shark
James Gunn’s 2021 version of The Suicide Squad reinvented the team and improved upon the dismal reception of David Ayer’s 2016 version. The director brought in some weird and obscure characters like Polka-Dot Man, and King Shark and made them instantly likable and relatable. The latter surprisingly became the scene stealer of the film.
Sylvester Stallone voiced the character in the film and he was very excited to embody the loneliness and frustration that the character was feeling. In an interview with the Irish Times, the actor revealed that he didn’t want to approach playing the character with the typical perception of sharks in real life. He wanted to infuse it with enough dimension and emotion, showing a character that is longing for love. He said,
“You kind of try to attack the scene. But if you’re playing a shark, you don’t want to act like a shark. You try to act like a big baby or a guy who feels remorse. In other words, try to add another dimension. You gotta add different spices to the sauce.”
King Shark was an absolute delight in the film and his funny quirks led to some of the most hilarious scenes in the film. At the same time, we also see moments of the character showing his desire for companionship and love which made him three-dimensional rather than being just a CGI animal. Fans hope that the character is brought back in Gunn’s DCU sometime in the future.
James Gunn Hypes Up the Upcoming The Penguin Series
After the success of 2022’s The Batman, Matt Reeves is coming up with the upcoming The Penguin series on Max starring Colin Farrell. Fans have been excited to see what is next for Oswald Cobblepot after the death of his boss Carmine Falcone at the end of The Batman. The series is set to show his rise to power and ultimately becoming the crime kingpin in Gotham City.
James Gunn was recently asked by a fan on Threads whether he has seen the series. It seems the DC head honcho is ecstatic about the output of the show and he confidently replied saying, “Oh Yes”. With Reeves returning as executive producer, the project might turn out to be another banger for the studio.
The teaser of the series was released recently and it promised a lot of character development and adversaries that Cobblepot has to go against for him to come out on top. The series is set to premiere on Max in the fall of 2024.
