DC Studios Co-Chair James Gunn Clarifies Recent Comments About Marvel Studios' Struggles

DC Studios Co-Chair James Gunn Clarifies Recent Comments About Marvel Studios' Struggles

In a recent Rolling Stone interview, Superman director made headlines by blaming Disney+ for Marvel Studios' recent box office woes.

By MarkJulian - Jun 17, 2025 01:06 AM EST
Filed Under: DC Studios

Recently, remarks from DC Studios co-chair and Superman director James Gunn about Marvel Studios' recent struggles with box office and critical reception have made waves online.

In the Rolling Stone article, Gunn stated that the high output of Marvel content for Disney+ "killed them." 

Now, Gunn, is clarifying those comments a bit over on @Threads, where he posted, "To be clear - & as IS clear in the context of the interview- I didn't say "it killed them" like they're over but they were screwed by the situation they had no control over. They're on the other side of that now, which is good. "

He went on to add, "The sacrifice-everything-for-streaming craze killed many good things by forcing a demand for "content" that couldn't possibly be met, putting movies on TV before they had a proper theatrical run & much more. The insanity has died down & balanced out everywhere. Thank God."

It's well documented that the vision Bob Chapek had for Disney+'s rollout is very different from the recently returned to power, Bob Iger.

Chapek wanted an instant competitor to Netflix and was willing to spare no expense to accomplish this goal. Iger is more even-keeled, focusing more on the bottom line in quarterly fiscal reports to investors.

As such, Iger has recently mandated a reduction in original content that gets made exclusively for Disney+.

The question now is whether this change in philosophy has arrived too little, too late for Marvel Studios.

Even the recently well-received Thunderbolts* aka New Avengers will end its theatrical run in the red, despite being liked by both critics and audiences alike.

Superman is slated for release on July 11, 2025, marking the inaugural film in James Gunn's rebooted DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters. Gunn not only directs but also penned the screenplay for this highly anticipated movie, which was formerly titled Superman: Legacy.

The film boasts a stellar ensemble cast:

  • David Corenswet takes on the dual role of Kal-El/Clark Kent.
  • Rachel Brosnahan portrays the intrepid reporter Lois Lane.
  • Nicholas Hoult embodies Superman's arch-nemesis, Lex Luthor.

A contingent of other heroes and notable figures includes Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific.

Supporting the main cast are:

  • Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord.
  • María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer.
  • Terence Rosemore as Otis.
  • Wendell Pierce as Perry White.
  • Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher.
  • Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.

Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell appear as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Jonathan 'Pa' Kent and Martha 'Ma' Kent, respectively. Additionally, Milly Alcock is set to debut as Supergirl in this film before headlining her own solo adventure, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow Supergirl.

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Lucasberg
Lucasberg - 6/17/2025, 1:47 AM
First!
Pictilli
Pictilli - 6/17/2025, 1:51 AM
Gunn right again
JFerguson
JFerguson - 6/17/2025, 2:27 AM
Well, James Gunn did say the Lazarus Pit can be used to bring something back from the dead.
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 4:10 AM
@JFerguson - MAybe the DCU should concentrate on actually trying to make a billion dollar grossing movie at the box office instead of taking potshots at a studio who made one as recently as last year (2nd highest grossing movie worldwide), and of which people are only delighting taking cheapshots at because of the high standards they've set that none of their so-called "competitors" and rivals have yet to match.
Zeeboy
Zeeboy - 6/17/2025, 5:27 AM
@spr0cks - High standards? At least 50% of MCU movies range from meh to complete trash, and only a handful are actually high-quality, well-made films. Most of the shows are poor. Marvel got lucky that their universe was being developed during the perfect storm of social media hype culture first taking off, while there was still excitement and goodwill towards superhero films. They've established a family-friendly, fun, and reliable brand, but let's not pretend their success is down to high standards lol.
Baf
Baf - 6/17/2025, 10:13 AM
@spr0cks - Don't you mean "another" billion-dollar movie?
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 12:15 PM
@Zeeboy - All of that said (What you just typed),....none of it detracts or refutes any of the FACTUAL things I stated above.

It's just salty pettiness borne of an inability to deal with harsh reality slapping you in the face with its dick.

Even with their current so-called "struggles", they're a successful studio.
And not just "a" successful studio, but rather THE most successful and profitable currently making movies.

Regardless of however much bile that makes you want to choke down on, or however much Copium it may take to help you deal.
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 12:17 PM
@Baf - The "DCU" hasn't made a single billion dollar movie - or any movie that's actually made anything at all for that matter.

Neither has James Gunn in his career.

The Nolan movies don't count.
They weren't even DCEU, let alone DCU.
Zeeboy
Zeeboy - 6/17/2025, 1:33 PM
@spr0cks - I like Marvel as much as I like DC, I just don't live in an echo chamber. My comment directly addresses your praise of Marvel's so-called "high standards". But your response is nothing but hot air and bitterness. If you honestly believe that high standards equal financial success, then I'm sorry but... you're delusional. I enjoy Marvel films the same way I enjoy the occasional McDonald's, but to claim either of them has high standards is laughable. But hey, they say ignorance is bliss, so if the Marvel movies are your idea of fine dining then, more power to ya buddy! 👍
Baf
Baf - 6/17/2025, 3:20 PM
@spr0cks - Aquaman?
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/17/2025, 2:50 AM
Feige is still to blame imo. No matter how many shows they line up, if he chose the right talents, they wont be in this mess.

People who go around blaming only Chapek exclusively are shortsighted
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/17/2025, 6:28 AM
@vectorsigma - he's a puppet being hypnotised by the left
newhire13
newhire13 - 6/17/2025, 7:06 AM
@AllsNotGood - 🙄 Oh stfu. My god some of you guys are pathetic. “Oh no, here comes the left!” Gtfoh
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/17/2025, 8:00 AM
@newhire13 - did you just assume my gender?
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/17/2025, 8:31 AM
@AllsNotGood - for a moment there i thought you were makeamerica 😅
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/17/2025, 8:35 AM
@vectorsigma - I can't confirm but deny I am makeamericagreatagain
OptimusInTime
OptimusInTime - 6/17/2025, 3:54 AM
Anyone feel like Gunn is always having to clear up statements he made previously??! His PR machine must freak out every time he does an interview 🤣🤣.
Just let a Gunn be a Gunn guys 🤣🤣. Pun intended.

Outro

vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/17/2025, 8:32 AM
@OptimusInTime - its because of idiots who easily take his words out of context. Snyder cultists leading the charge
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 6/17/2025, 10:35 AM
@OptimusInTime - Gunn's problem is he speaks without thinking about how it will affect his career or the product he's worked on. Then he has to backtrack and clarify that he meant something completely different than what he initially sent out. In my opinion, that's bad for business. Sometimes it's best to not say anything and keep your comments to yourself.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 6/17/2025, 4:05 AM
Gunn trying to save face to not fckup the chance at a starlord movie cause he knows disneys a moody teenager that fires anyone who hurts their feelings
TheLobster
TheLobster - 6/17/2025, 4:07 AM
I mean.. it did kill them. There’s hype for Doomsday, not from me but sure, however it’s nowhere near the hype Infinity War had yet Doomsday is going to be just as expensive if not even more than IW.

Marvel is kind of [frick]ed if Doomsday doesn’t do big time numbers.
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 4:20 AM
@TheLobster - How exaxtly did it "kill" them?

They've had billion dollar or near billion dollar grossing movies in 3 of the last 4 years post-COVID.
No other studio making movies right now can boast of that kind of box office performance even in their "slump" period.
Last year they had the 2nd highest grossing movie worldwide which just also happens to be the highest ever grossing R-rated movie.


IF the standard for comparing their successes or failures is to compare them to two of the most successful and highest-grossing movies of all time that they made (and which both had a 10-year build-up and lead-up time), then I think they're doing just fine no matter how Doomsday and Secret Wars perform.

In this post-covid era, nobody is going to be making $2 billion grossing movies anytime soon not named 'Avatar'-something (incidentally, also a Disney property now).


I've never seen so many people so desperate for a studio to fail even while it's still outporming pretty much everyone else out there.

It's kind of sad.
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 6/17/2025, 4:37 AM
@spr0cks - Well put. The ignorance of people who act as if Marvel doesn't have at least two movies every year since Covid that are among the world's top 10 highest-grossing is truly sad.
newhire13
newhire13 - 6/17/2025, 7:04 AM
@spr0cks - Because people have been bitching about Marvel movies and content for years now. Several have failed, even the good ones. So yeah, Marvel clearly has issues they’re working through.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/17/2025, 8:37 AM
@spr0cks - so we are forgetting the back to back flops this year?
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 12:20 PM
@newhire13 - But the point is that they're still making movies that are making more money than what anyone else is producing out there that's ironically not producing stuff for Disney too (Pixar and the former Fox studios (Avatar)....

So yeah, bitch through your issues, but realize that they're still the big dog in the yard.
spr0cks
spr0cks - 6/17/2025, 12:24 PM
@vectorsigma - Name me a studio that hasn't had flops.
For that matter name me a studio that has had an extended period of success the likes of which Marvel has had for Disney.

Another article on Comcicbookmovie that ought to interest a James Gunn Glazer like YOU in particular......

"Disney Ruled 2024 As DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, INSIDE OUT 2 & MOANA 2 Reportedly Top Profit Charts" by Mark Julian.

Again, the MCU and Disney are doing just fine - even with their "flops".
They're still the top earning studio in Hollywood - even THIS year - and will remain so even after the DCU makes their debut.
Speaking of which, I'd be more worried about them and their big entrance in Superman than worry about anything Disney and Marvel are doing.

Marvel are playing with House money at this point.
The DCU can't afford for Superman to be anything other than a hit - especially with no Batman (the only real money-maker in the DC docket) on the horizon for the next long while.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/17/2025, 9:35 PM
@spr0cks - lolz, you keep on looking at the past performance and deny the current state it is in now. It is not a question of whether it was profitable. It is a question of how they are now when it was mentioned that "it was killed". So comparing studios is not something id do.

Keep defending marvel and its low quality now and you keep getting slop.
TheLobster
TheLobster - 6/18/2025, 3:13 AM
@spr0cks - the only two movies that hit a billion or close was Deadpool and Wolverine and GOTG 3. Funny how you neglected to mention the flops that cost the studios hundreds of millions of dollars like Quantumania, The Marvels, and sadly Thunderbolts. Pretty sure Brave New World actually lost them money too because they’re lying about the budget given the huge amount of reshoots that film underwent.

On top of money lost, they lost something even worse - CREDIBILITY. Why do you think less people are going to see Marvel films? You think Marvel will be fine if Doomsday and Secret Wars underperform and aren’t critically praised? That’s hilarious and more so delusional.

I don’t want marvel to fail - I want marvel to be great again. Pretending they still are is naive at best.
TheLobster
TheLobster - 6/18/2025, 3:14 AM
@SpiderParker - compare their numbers to previous films and get back to me. They’ve had multiple flops too and ignoring that is telling.
SpiderParker
SpiderParker - 6/18/2025, 11:13 AM
@TheLobster - Previous movies weren't killed by Covid and Streaming. How about you ease up the copium and instead tell me how many movies since Covid (which gave streaming boom as well) in total and how many movies made over a billion the year before COVID?

Don't worry I'm sure you are inept so I'll give you the answer for both, its 9. From 2020 to 2025, 9 movies have made over a billion dollars meanwhile in 2019 alone, 9 movies made over a billion dollars. What does that tell you? Of course, it tells you that Marvel is doing bad. Whatever you are smoking, don't pass it forward.
SteviesRightFoo
SteviesRightFoo - 6/17/2025, 5:45 AM
Gunn is insufferable
JayWiIkes
JayWiIkes - 6/17/2025, 8:35 AM
@SteviesRightFoo - Project harder
SteviesRightFoo
SteviesRightFoo - 6/17/2025, 8:44 AM
@FsN - ok. GUNN IS INSUFFERABLE
JayWiIkes
JayWiIkes - 6/17/2025, 9:13 AM
@SteviesRightFoo - We get it, you're one of the many anti-social, miserable A-hole keyboard warriors who endlessly projects onto actual successful people who have never said a douchey or antagonistic public comment in their lives LOL congrats as always you insufferable dorkwad ;-)
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/17/2025, 6:27 AM
He never shuts up
newhire13
newhire13 - 6/17/2025, 7:02 AM
@AllsNotGood - Why would you go to a post about something he’s saying and then bitch about him saying something? Did you think it was a fake headline or something?
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/17/2025, 7:59 AM
@newhire13 - comment>bitch
Kozmik
Kozmik - 6/17/2025, 7:05 AM
I tend to let spelling errors go when I understand what the writer intended but ‘Bog Iger!?’
dragon316
dragon316 - 6/17/2025, 7:45 AM
@Kozmik - try let it go no one is perfect no one goes jail for it
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