At this level the MCU is a well-oiled machine, usually pumping out new content material in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Then there’s the still-developing DCU, which started with Creature Commandos (streaming with a Max subscription) and can fly into theaters with James Gunn’s Superman. Gunn is co-CEO of your complete studio, and just lately shared what he realized from his time at Marvel with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
What we learn about Superman is pretty restricted, however the upcoming DC film is arriving in July. The acclaimed filmmaker spoke to EW about his imaginative and prescient for the Man of Metal, and defined that it will be very a lot rooted in his sensibilities, similar to the Guardians motion pictures. As Gunn put it:
I feel it is solely setting the tone as far as that that is 100% a James Gunn film, and what I would like with the long run movies is for them to be the identical — not James Gunn motion pictures, however once I talked to Craig Gillespie who’s doing Supergirl, I mentioned, ‘I do not need all of those motion pictures to be the identical.’ What I like about DC Comics is that you could learn a narrative like The Darkish Knight, which is tonally very completely different due to its artist and author than Superman for All Seasons, than All-Star Superman, than [Batman:]The Lengthy Halloween. They’re all these lovely tales throughout the similar world, however fully completely different. And that is what I feel is thrilling.
It seems like Gunn desires the DCU to be a director-driven place, the place filmmakers might put their owns spin on the basic IP. So whereas he’ll possible make the most of the identical music-heavy irreverent tone as earlier initiatives, the Guardians visionary desires different DC administrators to really feel equally empowered.
Whereas talking about the best way he desires DC administrators to really feel creatively empowered, James Gunn talked about his time within the MCU, particularly because the Guardians of the Galaxy had been first being launched and crossing over with different characters. As he shared:
I feel that I realized from my time at Marvel. When Guardians of the Galaxy got here out, folks had been like, ‘Properly, how is that this raccoon going to work together with this God of Thunder who’s been arrange in a completely completely different kind of film?’ And that was the factor that folks appreciated probably the most about Infinity Warfare. So it is about actually letting the artists create these distinctive visions that enable us to get to know these characters in several methods.
He is not fallacious. Whereas initially it appeared laborious to think about the colourful and zany characters from Guardians of the Galaxy interacting with the likes of mainstays like Thor, Iron Man, and Captain America, that is precisely what occurred. And it was fodder for each thrilling narrative prospects and loads of comedic beats.
Between animated and live-action initiatives, it does actually appear to be the DCU’s first slate of initiatives, titled Gods and Monsters, goes to be an eclectic one. James Gunn shared his pleasure for these worlds to fulfill sooner or later, and what’s coming for Superman characters. He mentioned:
I sit up for the time when these characters — considered one of them does present up fairly quickly…two of them truly — so anyway, once they get to see them in a completely completely different mild, in a completely completely different style and a movie that is not the large spectacle, action-adventure, possibly one thing extra dramatic, possibly one thing extra comedic, no matter, and see these characters in a barely completely different mild portrayed by the identical actors.
I am actually intrigued. Gunn has already shared his dedication to the DCU being an interconnected world, and it seems like there are already plans in movement for members of the Superman forged to return.
The brand new shared universe will debut in theaters when Superman is launched on July eleventh as a part of the 2025 film launch listing. James Gunn’s messaging positively has me hopeful concerning the shared universe, which is able to possible make the break between initiatives all of the extra irritating.