Facing countless questions from fans and industry insiders since taking over DC Studios, James Gunn now has doubters within Warner Bros. about his management capabilities following a raft of reported changes made under his watch.
A report in the New York Post cites one Warner Bros. insider as suggesting Gunn doesn’t have what it takes to lead DC’s rebuild. According to the source, Gunn lacks experience and doesn’t compare to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige because of it. “Gunn has never run anything,” the insider said. “I wonder if big filmmakers will work for another director with zero experience guiding movies through a huge grinder of a system. He’s not Kevin Feige [of Marvel].”
Furthermore, the source pointed out that many at DC Studios felt pessimistic about its leadership role. The source even said DC begged Joker director Todd Phillips to take the position before eventually opting for Gunn and Peter Safran. Gunn and Safran assumed co-leadership of DC Studios this past October.
James Gunn’s Controversial DC Decisions
Since taking over, Gunn has come under a lot of fire for some major decisions under his watch as he and Safran attempt to rebuild the DC Universe. The most talked about of these decisions was cancelling Henry Cavill’s Superman return despite Cavill previously announcing his return and making a cameo in Black Adam. Gunn announced a new Superman film based on an earlier part of the superhero’s life while confirming that someone other than Cavill will play the titular role. After Cavill subsequently confirmed he wouldn’t return as Clark Kent’s famous alter-ego, Gunn faced angry DC fans who felt he coldly handled the situation, an accusation the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise helmer denied. He also refuted claims there’s bad blood between himself and the Enola Holmes 2 star, even suggesting he and Cavill could work on non-DC related projects down the line following talks.
Not only is Cavill not coming back as Superman, but it appears most of the DCU’s familiar faces could also be leaving the universe. Wonder Woman 3, starring Gal Gadot, will reportedly not be moving ahead, while a cameo featuring Gadot in The Flash has been scrapped. Furthermore, Jason Momoa may no longer star as Aquaman as he’s been tipped within DC to play another of its characters in Lobo for an upcoming film franchise based on the intergalactic bounty hunter.
In addition to his DC duties, Gunn is currently promoting The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, his recently-released Disney+ original film featuring characters from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. His next movie in the series will be Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, which is scheduled to open in theaters on May 5, 2023.
Source: New York Post
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