DC’s ongoing attempts to turn their beloved roster of characters into cinematic gems remains a thorny issue, but James Gunn has refused to allow any talk of studio interference stopping it from thriving.
Since taking on the reigns at DC, Gunn has made several huge decisions which have not exactly endeared him to some sections of the fanbase. Most notable has been the exit of Henry Cavill, issues around Wonder Woman 3, and an overwhelming sense the franchise will never get out of the soft reboot stage.
Gunn was queried on the studio interference which had hampered previous attempts at establishing the universe, with the new creative head reassuring fans no such problem exists anymore. Citing Geoff Johns and Zack Snyder’s failures to get full creative grasp on the series, Gunn said it’s not a problem for him and co-chair Peter Safran.
“As long as the studio doesn’t override you and your directors at every turn, I for one have confidence that you’ll actually be making decisions for the DCU that I can get onboard with. In my opinion (worth exactly nothing) it was studio interference that derailed the previous attempt at a DCU. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that Mr. Johns was quite frustrated.”
Gunn, rather amusingly, says the only studio interference possible would be from within his and Safran’s very own offices.
“The position is different than it was with Zack, etc. Peter and I are the heads of DC Studios. The only studio interference would be from us!”
The task of bringing DC back into the spotlight hasn’t been made easy, with 2022 ultimately a mixed bag for Warner Bros. Discovery. The axing of Batgirl, return then exit of Cavill as Superman, and the oddity of Black Adam‘s release have meant no one is quite sure where the universe sits.
DC’s next venture will be the Ezra Miller-led The Flash in June 2023, which should prove to be a release without any sort of controversy.
