James Gunn Says Disney+ Content Mandates ‘Killed' Marvel

James Gunn is giving his version of a eulogy for Marvel. The Co-Chairman and CEO of DC Studios, who also helmed the MCU's 'Guardians of the Galaxy' trilogy, told Rolling Stone that it was in part the 'mandates' for more content on Disney+ that 'killed' the MCU IP. Gunn pointed to how he is looking to lead WBD's DC Studios in an entirely different way.
'That wasn't fair. It wasn't right. And it killed them,' Gunn said of the Disney studio demand for more Marvel projects, which led to a so-called MCU fatigue at the box office prior to 'Thunderbolts.' 'We don't have the mandate [at DC] to have a certain amount of movies and TV shows every year. So we're going to put out everything that we think is of the highest quality. We're obviously going to do some good things and some not-so-good things, but hopefully on average everything will be as high-quality as possible. Nothing goes before there's a screenplay that I personally am happy with.'
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Indeed, Gunn would never more forward into filming without a completed screenplay, which is why 'The Batman 2' has been delayed for so long. The sequel starring Robert Pattinson was announced in 2022.
'Batman's my biggest issue in all of DC right now, personally,' Gunn said. 'And it's not — I'm not writing Batman, but I am working with the writer of Batman and trying to get it right, because he's incredibly important to DC, as is Wonder Woman. So outside of the stuff that I'm doing in the projects that are actively going, our two priorities are finishing our Wonder Woman and our Batman scripts.'
He continued, 'Every single Batman story has been told. It seems like half the comics that have come out of DC over the past 30 years have Batman in them. He's the most famous superhero in the world and the most popular superhero in the world. And people love him because he's interesting, but also having so much of him out there can also make him boring. So how do you create that property that's fun to watch?'
Gunn cited how rushing into production has created a major problem in Hollywood as a whole.
'I do believe that the reason why the movie industry is dying is not because of people not wanting to see movies,' Gunn said. 'It's not because of home screens getting so good. The number-one reason is because people are making movies without a finished screenplay.'
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Jon Bernthal's Punisher Officially Joins SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY! — GeekTyrant

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‘Superman' Soars Into Theaters Soon: Release Date, Cast, How to Get Tickets and More

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For now, here are some of the names we know will be in James Gunn's 'Superman': David Corenswet as Superman (Clark Kent/Kal-El) Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific (Michael Holt) Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern (Guy Gardner) Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl (Kendra Saunders) Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho (Rex Mason) María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer (Angela Spica) Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen Wendell Pierce as Perry White Beck Bennett as Steve Lombard Mikaela Hoover as Cat Grant Christopher McDonald as Ron Troupe Pruitt Taylor Vince as Pa Kent Neva Howell as Ma Kent Alan Tudyk as Superman Robot #4 Tickets for 'Superman' are on sale now. Amazon is currently allowing Amazon Prime members to purchase tickets to an early screening on July 8. You can buy tickets for regular screenings below. Fandango Atom Tickets James Gunn wrote and directed 'Superman,' which completed post-production in early June. Disney and Marvel Studios temporarily fired Gunn between the second and third 'Guardians of the Galaxy' films, allowing him to write and direct 'The Suicide Squad' for DC. He then became co-CEO of DC Studios after returning to Marvel, endeavoring to relaunch the DC movie universe. Much of the marketing campaign for 'Superman' highlights Krypto, a super-powered dog and companion to Superman. Debuting in 1955's 'Adventure Comics #210,' Krypto generally arrives on Earth as a survivor of Krypton, much like Kal-El himself. Krypto first appeared on the big screen in 2022's animated 'DC League of Super-Pets' voiced by Dwayne Johnson. Gunn debuted his version of Krypto — a fully CGI character — back in October during Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Krypto was revealed in a motion poster sitting alongside Superman on the moon — a reference to an iconic panel from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's 'All-Star Superman.' In a Tweet, Gunn said Krypto was partially based on Ozu, a dog he rescued from a hoarding situation and who 'was problematic to say the least.' 'I remember thinking, 'Gosh, how difficult would life be if Ozu had superpowers?' – and thus Krypto came into the script & changed the shape of the story as Ozu was changing my life.' Krypto arrives on screens in Superman this summer. Krypto was inspired by our dog Ozu, who we adopted shortly after I started writing Superman. Ozu, who came from a hoarding situation in a backyard with 60 other dogs & never knew human beings, was problematic to say the least. He… — James Gunn (@JamesGunn) October 15, 2024 'Superman' marks the first feature film of a new DC universe helmed by Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran. 'Creature Commandos,' an animated series Gunn created for Max, became the first official project of the DCU when it released in late 2024 and early 2025. The series, which features the first appearance of Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr., has already been renewed for a second season. After 'Superman,' the next DCU project will be the second season of 'Peacemaker,' which premieres Aug. 21. Because 'Peacemaker' began as part of the previous DC franchise (featuring cameos from 2017's Justice League lineup), the second season will serve as both a continuation and a soft reboot of the series to integrate it into the new universe. It seems Gunn has fully adopted the messiness of comic book canon. A number of other projects have been announced and slated for the DCU, including the aforementioned 'Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow' in June 2026. Other entries include a solo Clayface feature in Sept. 2026, a 'Swamp Thing' movie directed by James Mangold and a TV series focused on the Amazons of Themyscira. Both Batman and Wonder Woman, among other heroes, additionally have new films on the way. Though 'Superman' does not directly adapt any one storyline, Gunn stated on Threads that he drew inspiration from a number of specific comics and adaptations. Superman's logo in the film reflects a costume worn by the character in Mark Waid and Alex Ross' 'Kingdom Come.' Released in 1996, the story features an older Superman returning to heroics after becoming disillusioned by a new generation of violent vigilantes. The use of this logo may signal a thematic connection to 'Kingdom Come' in the film, as trailers hint at Superman grappling with his place in a world of political agendas and corporate-backed heroes. 'Kingdom Come' appears in a 'Superman' tie-in box set releasing in August. Also included are Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's 'Superman for All Seasons,' Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's 'All-Star Superman,' and Alan Moore and Curt Swan's 'Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?' — three classic Superman adventures featuring the early and final days of the Man of Steel. It is likely Gunn's movie will draw at least tonal inspiration from each. DC Comics released a reprint facsimile of Krypto's first appearance, 'Adventure Comics #210,' on June 18. Two lucky fans will find Krypto's Golden Biscuit stickers in their copies, which they can use to claim tickets to the world premiere of 'Superman.' You can watch the latest trailer for 'Superman' below. The post 'Superman' Soars Into Theaters Soon: Release Date, Cast, How to Get Tickets and More appeared first on TheWrap.