In 2022, longtime DC Film division leader Walter Hamada left the studio after claims that, under his leadership, films were unconnected and incoherent. A search ensued as DC looked for someone embroiled in the comic book world. This candidate would also need enough film sense to put the studio on top. DC has long been considered second to Marvel when it comes to creating movies, and the list of the highest-grossing superhero movies of all time doesn’t include a DC film until spot 11, filled by 2018’s Aquaman. The other slots are claimed by Marvel blockbusters such as Avengers: Endgame and Black Panther. DC needed direction. So, they turned to James Gunn.
James Gunn, director of the extremely-successful Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, was chosen as co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios in late 2022. He heralds the end of the so-called “Snyderverse”, which traditionally focused on darker, grittier stories like Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. Yet, the question on every superhero-movie-fan's mind is: Can James Gunn end superhero fatigue and reenergize a beloved franchise?
Superhero fatigue did not exist as a term ten years ago, mostly because it, as a concept, had not started to take root. Superhero fatigue happens when audiences grow tired of the repetitive storytelling that often creeps into Marvel or DC movies. Audiences can feel bombarded by the quantity of superhero content and uninterested in the disastrous quality recent movies possess. Superhero fatigue is perfectly represented by the slew of Marvel movies released after Avengers: Endgame; nobody went to watch them, and nobody cared to talk about them. This was the scene James Gunn entered when he took over the film division of DC. He faced his first battle with the release of Superman this summer, and, in my opinion, this fresh start has the potential to turn DC into the No. 1 superhero movie creator.
The Superman movie was both written and directed by James Gunn, and it drew in over $614 million at the box office. This movie’s story has been reviewed many times, but it is an important data point in looking at Gunn’s vision for the DCU. The movie contrasts completely with the Snyderverse’s imagining of Superman in Man of Steel, and it also creates links to future films. The ending of the movie teases the new Supergirl movie, the Green Lantern character will transition right into the DCU’s new show Lanterns and a sequel for Superman has already been announced via Gunn’s Instagram page. All of this is to say that, as Gunn himself has stated in an interview for DC, the heroes of the studio “are all interacting throughout the stories.” The DC film universe is getting the coherency it has always sought after.
Multiverses are a big part of superhero film franchises. Marvel is famous for creating intricate webs of infinite characters and their multiverse counterparts. DC is hoping to get in on the action. However, for Marvel, the cinematic universe quickly turned into a homogenous group of films. All Marvel movies started to feel the same. James Gunn, if he hopes to dominate the box offices, needs to avoid this. Thankfully, he has already made comments on his beliefs in stylistic differences inside the DCU. In describing his vision for a connected universe, he added that not all his films “have the same expression. Different artists bring remarkably different looks, feels and tones,” specifying that he does not want the emergence of a “Gunnverse.”
This tactic of unique superhero genres within the DCU is what I believe will save the studio. Though Superman was a hit, not every movie should be Superman. Different superheroes have different atmospheres that surround them, as with Batman, whose stories often fit with edgier cinematography. This strategy will also help prevent superhero fatigue. Stylistic differences, brought by artists with new and distinctive visions, will create coherent yet diverse storytelling. This, in turn, will cater certain movies to certain audiences, broadening the genre’s reach. For example, Gunn and director James Watkins will bring Clayface to theaters as a horror film, which contrasts with the optimistic and family-friendly tones of Superman.
Yet, the greatest thing Gunn can bring to the DCU is a love for the comics. When discussing inspiration for Superman, the director turned again and again to the role of comics. In one DCU interview, he expressed his disappointment in the fact that “we haven’t really had a Superman movie that reflects what I experienced reading comics growing up.” Marvel’s cinematic universe has historically taken on the role of taking comic book source material and twisting it for a big screen, ultimately ending up with comic book adaptations rather than comic book movies. However, many fans come from the comic book side or are drawn to it after watching various movies. A disconnect between the stories in print and the stories on screen can disappoint and frustrate fans. Gunn promises to increase coherency not only between movies but also between comics and their live-action counterparts. Hopefully, this plays out in the future. Otherwise, Gunn could be slated for failure.
With Milly Alcock’s Supergirl set to debut to audiences in June of 2026, the new season of Peacemaker dropping episode-by-episode onto HBO Max every Thursday and more in the works, Gunn’s DCU is coming out of the gates strong. If he continues on the path he has paved for himself, Gunn could lead the studio into a golden age of comic book movies. However, the path is narrow, so we can only wait until the release of the DCU’s next project to see if he stumbles.
Jane Locke is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at jal562@cornell.edu.
