DC Studios Boss James Gunn Responds To Nepotism Claims As Brother Sean Gunn Lands Third DCU Role

DC Studios Boss James Gunn Responds To Nepotism Claims As Brother Sean Gunn Lands Third DCU Role

News recently broke that Sean Gunn will play the DCU's Maxwell Lord, marking the third role he's landed in this shared world. Now, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has responded to claims of nepotism...

By JoshWilding - Dec 11, 2023 07:12 AM EST
Filed Under: DC Studios

When DC Studios announced its DCU slate, James Gunn and Peter Safran were asked about the possibility of Jason Momoa playing Aquaman and Lobo. 

Both seemingly made it clear that no actor would play two characters in the new DCU. However, Gunn later clarified his position on social media when he explained that the same person could have multiple voice roles, but when it came to live-action, the rule was "generally no." 

On Friday, the news broke that James' brother, Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad star Sean Gunn, had been cast as the DCU's Maxwell Lord. Pedro Pascal played the villain in Wonder Woman 1984, though this interpretation is expected to be more morally ambiguous rather than a straightforward bad guy. 

Some quickly said Sean's casting was an example of Hollywood nepotism, particularly as he's already been eyed to play Weasel and G.I. Robot in Max's Creature Commandos animated series. 

In a now-deleted exchange with a fan, the Superman: Legacy director stated, "I said, very clearly, actors will generally only be playing one character on screen, and said, in the same response, that for voice actors it's not the same. Sean, Alan Tudyk, Maria Bakalova, Steve Agee, etc, all play multiple roles in Creature Commandos. That doesn't mean they won't play different characters onscreen."

"So, what's the need you have (and a handful of others) to [so] desperately need to believe I'm lying that you seem to purposefully ignore certain parts of what I said?"

Gunn's words have indeed been taken out of context and he was clear in the past about actors getting to play more than one character in animation before potentially appearing on screen as them or someone else. Still, with the Creature Commandos expected to appear in live-action, that would give Sean more than one on-screen role. Then again, it's not as if anyone is going to mistake G.I. Robot for Maxwell Lord! 

The main gripe ultimately seems to be that Gunn is giving people who he's close with roles in the DCU, but not the vast majority of actors from the DC Extended Universe (Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, and Ben Affleck, for example). However, that's the DC Studios co-CEO's prerogative, and Gunn appears to be learning what it's like dealing with a very vocal, and incredibly passionate, fanbase. 

The filmmaker must have been aware of what it would look like when the actors he worked with on The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker got to reprise their respective roles in place of certain DCEU fan favourites, but he no doubt hopes it will all blow over by the time the DCU is launched with Superman: Legacy in 2025.

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TheWinkler
TheWinkler - 12/11/2023, 8:06 AM
I mean, we're all about to put our opinions on blast, so here's mine.

From Gilmore Girls to Guardians 3, I've never seen Sean in a role that I didn't enjoy. Not that he's Andy Serkis levels of talent, but he's very much the same vein of versatile. He's great at mocap, voice acting, and traditional acting.
MikeyL
MikeyL - 12/11/2023, 8:09 AM
He can argue semantics all he likes, there is no denying that there is definite nepotism when it comes to his brother. Including the lotion capture for Rocket, he’s had 5 roles in his Marvel and DC projects. 6 if you also include the motion capture for Thanos in GOTG
MikeyL
MikeyL - 12/11/2023, 8:10 AM
This isn’t to say he’s not a good actor. It’s just there is 10000% nepotism, it’s undeniable
tylerzero
tylerzero - 12/11/2023, 8:15 AM
@MikeyL -

"lotion capture"

toylled
toylled - 12/11/2023, 8:16 AM
@MikeyL - he's not a good actor, who else has cast him lmfao
MikeyL
MikeyL - 12/11/2023, 8:18 AM
@tylerzero - I will lay awake every night for the next 3 years thinking about this and adding it to my life regrets
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 12/11/2023, 8:20 AM
@toylled - dude shows up in tv shows here and there

Here is his IMDB…

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0348231/
TheVandalore
TheVandalore - 12/11/2023, 9:02 AM
@tylerzero - im kinda glad your image doesnt show up for me lol
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 12/11/2023, 10:01 AM
@MikeyL - So what? I'm pretty sure the GOTG trilogy, along with that Christmas thing, was fairly successful.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 12/11/2023, 10:01 AM
@MikeyL - or it could be a combo of both his brother and a reliable go to actor for your projects. WHO CARES??!! i mean doesn't the GOD of cinema Scorsese have go to actors as well. [frick]ing DiCaprio has been in six of his films already and no doubt will appear in more movies because Mr. Cinema loves and trusts DiCaprio.
SouthEastNC
SouthEastNC - 12/11/2023, 11:54 AM
@MikeyL - Haven't most people gotten their job because a friend/relative at the very least put in a good word for them? Now we're talking about in James' case not just a friend, but his girlfriend and his brother. About who none of James' bosses have apparently had an issue with acting ability.

It is no different than Ron Howard putting his brother in just about every film he makes. People just like to complain about anything they see as remotely "unfair" now.

You work your butt off to make it to the top, you hire who you want unless the hire drags down the product.
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