By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 1 second ago
After making Marvel history with the Guardians of the Galaxy films, James Gunn switched teams: he directed the crowd-pleasing film The Suicide Squad and, after the DCEU imploded, launched the DCU. Given the runaway success of both Superman and Peacemaker, it’s fair to say that Gunn is the best thing to happen to Warner Bros. in years.
Now, it seems the studio may be firing the one man who can finally deliver them a successful cinematic universe.
James Gunn’s Job On the Chopping Block?
James Gunn
Why would James Gunn lose his job? Recently, Warner Bros. confirmed its intention to sell the studio to the highest bidder. If and when that happens, it’s entirely possible that the buyer would oust James Gunn from his position as co-CEO of DC Studios.
That may sound paranoid, but Gunn recently implied he may lose his sweet new gig. Appearing on the BobaTalks YouTube channel, the CEO was asked whether or not the plot developments in Superman and Peacemaker would go beyond The Man of Tomorrow, scheduled to release in 2027. He confirmed they go “significantly further” before adding, “whether or not that’ll be me that’s able to fulfill that promise depends on a lot of things in life.”
Gunn did not clarify what those things were, but the most likely reason would be if Warner Bros.’s future owner fired him. If that should happen, it would almost certainly mean the end of the DCU because Gunn is, so far, the chief architect of a very successful cinematic universe. His getting kicked to the curb would signal to the public that Warner Bros. has no faith in their most valuable asset and is willing to replace a visionary creator with just another empty suit.
Warner Bros. Is Repeating the Same Mistake That Killed The DCEU
Zack Snyder
Ironically enough, this is more or less what led to the earlier failure of the DCEU. Zack Snyder set the tone for this cinematic universe with Man of Steel, but the poor critical and commercial reception of Batman v. Superman shook the studio’s faith in his creative vision. After personal tragedy made Snyder step down from directorial duties on Justice League, Warner Bros. replaced him with Buffy creator Joss Whedon, who promptly transformed Snyder’s grim action epic into a quip-filled CGI train wreck.
I’m one of the biggest critics of Batman v. Superman, but I have to admit that replacing Snyder with someone so tonally different was the beginning of the end for the DCEU. Now, it seems Warner Bros. is in danger of replacing perhaps the best working comics creator in Hollywood on a whim. And if the studio runs a DC cinematic universe into the ground for the second time, most audiences (who, analysts say, are still in the throes of superhero fatigue) may decide they won’t come back to theaters for a third attempt.
Hopefully, this is a non-issue: after all, anyone who buys Warner Bros. would be financially incentivized to keep one of its most successful creators around. But James Gunn himself now seems uncertain whether he’ll have his job as co-CEO of DC Studios past 2027 (the release date of Man of Tomorrow). That’s reason enough for us to worry about his awesome new cinematic universe crashing to the ground just as it was starting to go up, up, and away.