Posted in: HBO, Opinion, Preview, streaming, TV, TV | Tagged: dc studios, hbo max, james gunn, opinion, warner bros discovery

James Gunn/DC Studios Thoughts: Why It Works, Kevin Feige/MCU & More

Published Wed, 26 Oct 2022 09:53:13 -0500

by Ray Flook

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I know you might find this hard to believe, but social media blew up on Tuesday about another move made by Warner Bros. Discovery big cheese David Zaslav. Except, this time? It was for something… good?!? It's rare when social media comes together with a general "group think" on a topic, and even rarer that the "group think" is something positive. But that was the case yesterday when it was announced that James Gunn ("Guardians of the Galaxy" film franchise, Peacemaker) and producer Peter Safran would be the new Co-Chairmen & Chief Executive Officers of DC Studios beginning November 1st. What that means is that they will be overseeing the overall creative direction of the DC Universe across film, TV & animation under one banner, and the important part? Gunn and Safran will report directly to Zaslav… and Zaslav only. As much as it can be to play "Devil's Advocate" sometimes, we're with the majority on this one and will readily admit that it was nice to see some positivity about the DCU out there. With the news less than 24 hours old, we had some initial random thoughts to pass along:

A Perfect Pick: Right off the bat, Safran has a reputation as someone who knows how to make the business work for him, able to maneuver the landmines across the pop culture business landscape while making friends and gaining respect along the way. With Gunn, you have someone who's been through the fire in both the MCU & DCU and came out of both with righteous amounts of success. Just look at what happened with that whole Twitter debacle. Gunn didn't have to go on the attack in response to Marvel cutting him from GOTG. He had friends & peers within the industry going public to defend him, and fans let Marvel know that reversing course would be the only option on the table. This combination in these roles are a very formidable force, and just imagine the folks they know who respect them that they can start having conversations with, like actors or directors who never imagined "working comics" who might now want a meeting.

The Signs Were There: It's not that Gunn isn't committed to each and every project that he's working on, but he sure did seem to have a special place in his heart for the John Cena-starring Peacemaker and how the HBO Max series really opened his eyes to the creative possibilities that streaming series bring. So much so that it was kinda sweet… the way he would reflect back on the series & his experiences even after returning for the third GOTG film. But even during interviews prior to the series wrapping, Gunn didn't hide his excitement over how much he enjoyed working in the DCU and how he was interested in more. Well, it's safe to say he got his "more."

Could This Make a Marvel/DC On-Screen Crossover More of a Reality? Look, it's not like it would happen any time soon. Gunn & Safran don't start their jobs for another six days, and Kevin Feige has a pretty busy Marvel Studios streaming & film slate schedule running through 2087 (that's a joke, but it is impressive). But letting our inner fanboy run loose for a few words? If there were any two people who I could see driving a stake through the heart of the Marvel/DC rivalry with a crossover series of films & series that leaves both universes with wins, it's Feige and Gunn. Admit it. If some DCU characters showed up in an end credits scene to Avengers: Secret Wars as a tease, the world would split in half.

A Good Sign for Streaming Series? If we're being honest? Up until yesterday, we were concerned that Zaslav was more concerned about the film side of the DCU and not giving the streaming series side the respect (and hope) it deserves. That changed with the news of Gunn & Safran taking charge, mostly because of what I mentioned earlier. Gunn was sold on the idea that the series format allows for much deeper & more complex storytelling than the restraints of film allow a lot of the time. Now, what does this mean for individual series, such as Titans, Doom Patrol, Harley Quinn, etc.? It's tough to say because a commitment to streaming series doesn't necessarily mean a commitment to what's currently being offered. Though if I was placing a bet on the three examples that I named, based on Gunn's on-the-record feelings about the character, it's safe to say that Harley Quinn has a bright & vibrant future.

And so far, so does the DCU. Wow, it felt nice to be able to write that.

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