Have we discussed James Gunn's demotion at DC Studios anywhere on the board?
Inside James Gunn, Peter Safran’s DC Ouster: Exec Tensions and a Fateful David Ellison Visit
With a hard right-winger taking over about half the country's media, including Warner Bros., I expected changes I wasn't going to like in the various franchises Skydance owns (Everything from Star Trek to Batman to Bugs Bunny). Just the same, I was a bit surprised by this, since it wasn't long ago that David Ellison said publicly he wasn't going to change anything at DC Studios, and Clayface is a minor success. But in retrospect, Gunn has had four years to set up the DC universe, and still hasn't touched two of the Trinity. (Or even managed to get Batman II out the door, which is holding up Brave and Bold.) If you're a CEO hoping to replicate the Marvel Cinematic Universe's success, you're going to be looking for signs of the Justice League on the horizon. And they ain't there -- unless it's going to be Superman, Supergirl, John Stewart Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Peacemaker and Mr. Terrific. That's an interesting group, but it isn't going to pull Avengers-level numbers. Also, the aforementioned politics might play a role, as Gunn is publicly left of center.
That's my inmediate reaction. What do y'all think?
Replies
I'm not surprised and am kind of fearful for all the properties under the new regime's control. Everybody has their own ideal version of the DC Superheroes, Star Trek, Looney Tunes, etc so while "your mileage may vary", there are just some postions and perspectives that just won't work in my humble opinion. We'll just have to wait and see but I certainly hope whatever is left in the pipeline doesn't go the way of the never to be released Batgirl film.
I've been enjoying the Gunn version of the DCU so much, I'm prepared to hate every change Jeremy Latcham makes. But he also was one of the producers of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Theives, so he's capable of helming good material. But under Ellison, I think he'll be encouraged to indulge his worst impulses.
Anyway, this too shall pass. This won't be the last time DC is sold. As always, I'm in it for the comics. If a media adaptation is good, its worth celebrating. If it's bad, it's easy enough to ignore. There are still films from the Synder years I never saw, and I can ignore them again if need be.
I am very pissed out by this event. I fully believe that it is a grave mistake by whoever made that decision.
Not least because of the timing. I assumed that DC's higher-ups had realized that the Snyder period harmed the commercial viability of their intellectual property and therefore one central duty of James Gunn was to give it a carefully curated combination of exposure and rest so that it could recover.
Superman's movie reinforced that understanding. This odd, myopic decision shatters it.
Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, Peacemaker and Mr. Terrific. That's an interesting group, but it isn't going to pull Avengers-level numbers.
The MCU started with characters who, while well-known to people like us, were nobodies to the mainstream audience. The movies made Iron Man mainstream and cool. Before that, the average person who didn't read superhero comics or play superhero games had no idea who Tony Stark was. Marvel also had huge successes in TV and movies with characters like Jessica Jones and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn could have pulled it off.
Warner needed to hold off on this one. Then again, DC characters in other media (and in earlier comics) have always done better as stand-alones than as an interconnected 'verse.
I haven’t seen Clayface yet, but it and the two Joker movies remind me, unfortunately, of the spinoff Spider-Man villain movies. In the article, Mr Gunn is relieved not to be in an executive position. He wants to make movies, hands-on. Not having Superman or Supergirl kill the villain and dumping the F-bombs wouldn’t break my heart, as long as the characters and stories are good. As much as I enjoyed Lanterns, the unnecessary foul language probably lost it viewers.
Normally, I'd agree with you that there's no need for harsh swearing in a traditional superhero show. But with Lanterns, well -- anyone mature enough to appreciate the themes of that show can certainly take an f-bomb or two. And it certainly wasn't paced for kids. It's a grown-up show, through and through.
I don't really have a horse in this race. Although we almost went to see Supergirl, I can't remember the last superhero movie we saw.
we almost went to see Supergirl
Really, what did you almost think of it?
I think Milly Alcock is cute.
...but after Watchmen, (and Green Lantern and Daredevil and Elektra, etc., etc.) I have given up on the idea that a good comic book can translate into a good movie.
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