DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn Knew He Was Going To Face A Lot Of Backlash When He Took The Job

DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn Knew He Was Going To Face A Lot Of Backlash When He Took The Job

Although fans do seem willing to give James Gunn and Peter Safran a shot to turn things around, the former says he knew they were going to face backlash when they took over as DC Studios co-heads.

By MarkCassidy - Jun 26, 2023 10:06 AM EST
Filed Under: DC Studios
Source: Via The Direct

When it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran would be taking over as co-CEOs of the recently implemented DC Studios, the reaction was about as mixed as you might expect.

While some fans felt that a major shake-up of Warner Bros.' shared DC universe was exactly what was needed to get the franchise back on track, others were disappointed that the previous DCEU era (or, the "SnyderVerse") was going to be rebooted, and were sceptical about the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker coming on board to steer the ship.

During a recent interview on the Inside of You podcast, Gunn says he was fully prepared for a certain amount of backlash, because he understands how passionate people are about these characters/properties and how they feel they should be presented.

"I knew that there was going to be many challenges as we embarked on that journey, because people have different ideas about how things are supposed to be. People have all sorts of things that they love whether they love things from the DCEU, or they love things from the Arrowverse, they love things from the animated worlds, or whatever, that is something that we knew was going to be a ring of fire we were gonna have to walk through.”

Gunn went on to reveal that what finally sold him on the job was the news that his long-time friend and collaborator would be joining him.

"What made it [DC Studio's role] appealing to me eventually was because they also went to Peter early on. And he was like the same way. But what eventually became appealing to me was doing it with Peter [Safran]," he added.

The first chapter of the new DCU slate, "Gods and Monsters," was announced earlier this year. Gunn will helm Superman: Legacy, while The Flash director Andy Muschietti will handle Batman: The Brave and the Bold, and James Mangold will direct a Swamp Thing movie.

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SpideyPuffsMJ
SpideyPuffsMJ - 6/26/2023, 10:53 AM
How close was Todd Philips to getting this job instead? WB was and is so desperate, they gave the keys to their cinematic universe to the first director to make a marginally successful and not utterly hated movie in quite some time.
mountainman
mountainman - 6/26/2023, 10:53 AM
Anybody who takes a role in a franchise that has a large fanbase has to enter with this expectation.

When people are passionate about something, some will like what you do and others will not. It’s just part of the job.

People get it in sports too. Or politics. Or any number of things people are passionate about.
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 6/26/2023, 10:54 AM
You can't make everyone happy because there are always assholes
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 6/26/2023, 5:18 PM
@WhatIfRickJames - And even less if someone like Gunn lies about movies, actors and directors, etc.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 6/26/2023, 10:54 AM
I thought it said “when he took the jab”
ShellHead
ShellHead - 6/26/2023, 10:57 AM
Apart from seeing a great Superman movie in the modern day, finally, I don't much care about DC stuff. They, James included, always go on and on about how these characters are timeless and larger than life, and like, are they?

Superman and Batman sure, Wonder Woman sort of. But the rest? Does anyone actually care if we have another 10 years of movies with the Flash and Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter? I'm sure they'll be fine, but who is asking for this?

I want to say no one, out in the general population. But WB desperately needs something, anything, to save it from financial disaster, and they will be churning out these DC cape movies until something finally sticks.

I'm invested in the MCU because of the characters they've made over the years, not just for the sake of them being Marvel superheroes. That's what DC doesn't get.
Goldboink
Goldboink - 6/26/2023, 11:05 AM
@ShellHead -
The comic book reading population are a tiny fraction of what is needed to be successful in film. Iron Man became a household name because Favreau and Downey made it a household name. Guardians of the Galaxy didn't really exist in it's MCU form until Gunn brought them to life. Heck, who knew who Vision was outside of Marvel devotees.
99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 6/26/2023, 11:09 AM
@ShellHead - Well that's the goal. To get people invested in the characters, the world that they're in, and by extension, the actors who's portraying them. And that might mean deviating from the comics, and pushing more obscure characters. DC can do it, but they have to have patience.
Doomsday8888
Doomsday8888 - 6/26/2023, 11:42 AM
@ShellHead
Yes.
They are timeless and larger than life.

They were created in the 1930s and are still alive this means SOMETHING and it ain't gonna change jackshit just because normies don't feed into capeshit that started becoming a thing 10 years ago.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 6/26/2023, 12:18 PM
@99OPTIMISTPRIME -


Where is @natebest 1,000 dollars?


😐
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2023, 5:25 PM
@99OPTIMISTPRIME - Patience... yes... Anyway how about The Authority, Mr. Terrific and all the superheroes already existing in the first movie! Which is a Superman origin movie, honest! Oh, but he's already a member of the Justice League though, etc.

Now what were we talking about? Haitians?
WakandaTech
WakandaTech - 6/26/2023, 10:58 AM
Just announce a full reboot

The reason people are skeptical is because you're still stuck with elements of the Zombie DCEU

ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 6/26/2023, 11:08 AM
@WakandaTech - fam I’m telling the GA does not know anything about this , the brand itself is bad reboot or not
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2023, 5:26 PM
@ShimmyShimmyYA - They all went to see Joker and a lot of people went to see The Batman. After having so much fun with Marvel, I think they WANT to invest, DC just doesn't let them.
ShimmyShimmyYA
ShimmyShimmyYA - 6/26/2023, 6:30 PM
@ObserverIO - joker had the fake Scorsese co sign marketing push + that whole this movie will cause people to go crazy shit

Batman is Batman and it had Robert Pattinson with great trailers.

GA is people like my mom who has 0 idea who James Gunn is or even that he’s in charge or that someone was ever in charge
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 6/26/2023, 10:58 AM
Noone blamed you when you chose not to overhype Shazam 2, James. Noone would have blamed you had you chosen not to overhype this one either.
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 6/26/2023, 5:26 PM
@DrReedRichards - Agreed, he didn't need to lie about a lot of things. He and WB have generated such distrust and skepticism in the audiences with the that lack of transparency, that the DC brand is just as appealing as rotten milk, and the released schedule of the new movies didn't generate that much of anticipation. Every company that lies to its consumers is just doomed.
DrReedRichards
DrReedRichards - 6/26/2023, 6:45 PM
@MaxPaint -

Saddest thing of all is that this makes Gunn no less of a puppet than any other producer would have been in his place. Given his background and experience in the genre, we all expected better.

Guess it'll be more of the same after all...
2013venjix
2013venjix - 6/26/2023, 11:00 AM
Maybe what James and Peter need to do is to have DC Studios be an independent studio with WBD as their silent parrtner, take full control of all DC properties and let them self-fiance their films and TV shows with zero studio interference.
Origame
Origame - 6/26/2023, 11:48 AM
@2013venjix - ...that's exactly what's happening. Gunn and Safran have full control over dc.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/26/2023, 5:28 PM
@Origame - Except for one caveat from Zaslav. The Batman sequel has to happen. Which, if it's good and popular, could actually [frick] their entire DCU before it even begins.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 6/26/2023, 11:00 AM
Gunn's slate looks lacking and him not doing a full reboot will cost him😑...


Hiring the guy that gave WB one off the biggest bombs ever for his new Batman film is just too risky. Why not get a better director?🤡
DarthAlgar
DarthAlgar - 6/26/2023, 11:20 AM
@AmazingFILMporg - Go play with your red polkadotted clown dildo.

Grown folks are talking.
AmazingFILMporg
AmazingFILMporg - 6/26/2023, 12:14 PM
@DarthAlgar -



.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/26/2023, 12:30 PM
@AmazingFILMporg - his slate looks fire. And compelling. But we can only really compare to MCU slate right now which looks wholly uninteresting.

Going w the Authority to lead Supes into forming his JL....



Very james Gunn. You just have to have a [foo foo] hairs worth of imagination.
1stDalek
1stDalek - 6/26/2023, 2:18 PM
@AmazingFILMporg - I'm almost certain he went with Mucchieti because he's a yes man that will just direct the movie Gunn wants but can't commit to directing. A better director will have their own take and ideas, but Gunn doesn't want that even though it's what has made Batman adaptations work in theaters, the last studio mandated and controlled Batman film turned into Batman & Robin.
comicfan100
comicfan100 - 6/26/2023, 11:01 AM
James Gunn has yet to make a bad superhero movie, so that's DC's saving grace. But him going to bat for The Flash rubbed people the wrong way. And I get it, he's the head of DC now, so he can't go around bashing the film. But for someone who's known for their transparency, it's gonna make folks look at him differently now.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/26/2023, 12:31 PM
@comicfan100 - or a bad show.



Peacemaker [frick]ed everyone's skull. Love Bradley Cooper's reaction to the series.
NinnesMBC
NinnesMBC - 6/27/2023, 1:16 AM
@comicfan100 - He could've avoided that if he simply retweeted the trailers on Twitter and gave them liked, that in itself would have been more than enough. Maybe some "I can't wait for The Flash!" would've been sufficed.

Because yes, his transparency has taken a blow after how he chose to get involved in the promotion when WBD already was emplying the help of other celebrities.
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