Posted in: Max, Movies, TV | Tagged: dc studios, james gunn

James Gunn on DCU Having HBO Max Timeline Similar to MCU/Disney+

DC Studios Co-CEO and writer/director James Gunn on if the DCU will have a timeline similar to what Marvel Studios' MCU has on Disney+.

Along with all of the individual projects that writer and director James Gunn is involved with (Superman, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, and more), he and Peter Safran have the Herculean task of crafting a comprehensive new DCU as DC Studios co-CEOs. To do that, the duo has a number of film and series projects in various stages of pitching, development, production, and pre-release marketing. Of course, when you're crafting a cinematic universe, you have to make sure that everything lines up in a workable timeline, especially for those looking to know the order in which they should be watching the films and series. Over at Marvel Studios, it's almost become essential viewing for MCU fans to head over to Disney+ to know is Iron Man III takes place before or after Thor: The Dark World. Could something similar to that be heading to HBO Max?

On Threads, Gunn was asked if the newly renamed HBO Max would have a DCU timeline similar to Marvel Studios' with the MCU on Disney+, offering a rundown of the films and series in their in-universe chronological order. For now, it doesn't seem like there's a need for one – for a very good reason. "As of now it's basically as the movies and shows come out – although of course some of these feature flashbacks – 'Creature Commandos,' 'Superman,' 'Peacemaker,' 'Lanterns,' 'Supergirl,'" Gunn responded.

DC Studios: James Gunn Done with Superman, Batman Origin Stories

Near the end of November, Gunn responded on social media for being accused of "overlooking origin stories" while also calling out DC Studios for focusing on "niche characters to headline their own movies like Sgt. Rock or Swamp Thing" and not focusing enough on characters they believe are better suited to attract a "general audience." When DC Studios' "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters' was unveiled in 2023, we learned that a Swamp Thing film was planned (with James Mangold attached). Recently, rumblings have gotten louder that director Luca Guadagnino (Queer) was set for a Sgt. Rock film. And let's not forget the upcoming Mike Flanagan-penned Clayface movie that was recently given a green light.

In terms of DCU superhero origin stories, Gunn isn't looking to tell Batman's and Superman's respective backstories again because we've been down that road many times before ("I'm not telling Batman and Superman's origin stories again because everyone knows them"). But in terms of Swamp Thing not being deserving enough for his own film, Gunn wasn't having any of it. "Don't put Swamp Thing in the corner. That's a project in development we've actually announced, and he's an incredibly well-known character with not only some of the greatest comics of all time but a successful film series and his own TV show, something that could be said of only a very small handful of DC characters," Gunn added.

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