James Gunn's role in the superhero movie genre has done nothing but produce great results. The Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy (and that Holiday Special) is destined to be remembered as a classic, while The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker are both up there with Wonder Woman as the DCEU's best offerings.
Now, the filmmaker has taken on the role of executive as DC Studios co-CEO alongside Peter Safran. As the creative driving force of the new DCU, it seems fair to say the franchise is in safe hands with the Superman: Legacy director.
Unfortunately, since that exciting "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters" slate was announced back in January, these reboot plans have become increasingly confusing.
The vast majority of characters will be recast, but a handful are set to return. So, while Superman and Batman will be completely different, Peacemaker and Amanda Waller will not and Wonder Woman...well, we still don't know what's happening there.
The Flash was supposed to "reset" the DCEU, but all it really did was leave Barry Allen stranded in a reality where George Clooney is Batman. Blue Beetle was neither a DCEU nor DCU movie but that iteration of the character is going to be part of the latter franchise. As far as we're aware, there will be no explanation for why the DC Universe is being rebooted and, for regular moviegoers, the risk is this slate will, on the surface, look like more of the same.
That's an issue DC Studios will need to figure out but Gunn's recent attempts to clear up the confusion have only further muddied the waters. On the surface, the DCU keeping certain actors and referencing key moments from the past while telling new stories isn't a hard idea to grasp; however, it's an approach which has still led to a lot of head-scratching.
Hardcore comic book fans might get it, but will your mom or brother be able to decipher the fact that, while the events of Peacemaker took place, the Justice League the title character encountered in the finale is no more?
With all this in mind, we're curious to hear whether you, ComicBookMovie.com's readers, are struggling to figure out what DC Studios is going for here. It's a simple question: do you believe these DCU reboot plans actually make sense?
It's possible we'll learn more down the line, though Creature Commandos and Superman: Legacy don't exactly feel like the place to explain why the DCEU is now the DCU. Perhaps an explanation will never be provided (which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as we're sick to death of the Multiverse) but this mashup of two franchises still feels like a perplexing way to kick off a supposedly fresh start.
Cast your vote below and check back here soon for the results!