One of James Gunn‘s most notable qualities is that he’s a straight shooter, whether that’s in-person or online. The filmmaker-turned-executive doesn’t hold back when it comes to sharing his opinions on rumor, speculation, hearsay, or innuendo, but it’s the first decade of the DCU’s existence that’s been given both barrels.
Shortly after Chapter 1 – Gods & Monsters was showcased for the world to see, Gizmodo had the chance to catch up with Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran to ask them several burning questions about the past, present, and future of the franchise. When the Guardians of the Galaxy director was asked for his thoughts on DC’s output before his arrival, he didn’t hold back.
“The history has been shit. It’s been a real fucked up journey for DC. I think that there was basically no one minding the mint and they were giving out IP to any creatives that, you know, smiled at whoever was in charge. There was never any real power given to the people in charge.
And so somebody could always go over their head and do whatever they wanted. And, you know, we had the DCEU, which then became the Joss Whedon Justice League, but it also became the SnyderVerse, which became this. And we have Wonder Woman and we have Wonder Woman [1984], which doesn’t even match what happened in Wonder Woman one. And then we have the Arrowverse and even us, coming in with The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. And then all of a sudden Batmite is a real guy.”
At least Gunn is cognizant enough to recognize he’s part of the problem, having been given the leeway to craft The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker however he saw fit, regardless of what anyone else was doing. Joss Whedon, the SnyderVerse, Walter Hamada, and countless other targets of his ire have been cast aside in favor of a near-total overhaul, but the real task is backing up his talk with quality superhero content.