As James Gunn‘s DCU launches with the premiere of Superman, his Marvel days seem like previously for now.
Following the director’s 2018 ousting from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Gunn admitted he “thought my profession was over,” however fortunately he and Peter Safran have been tapped to co-head DC Studios in 2022, opening the door for his subsequent superhero challenge.
“Toby Emmerich from Warner Bros. on the time got here to me. He’s like, ‘James Gunn’s Superman?’” he recalled on the Armchair Professional podcast. “I stated, ‘I don’t know, man.’ After which he was like, ‘Effectively, what about Suicide Squad?’ So I got here up with an concept. I went and pitched it. They have been like, ‘Sure, let’s do it.’”
The identical day, Gunn stated he acquired a name from then-Disney CCO Alan Horn after Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige had campaigned to get the director his job again.
“I went over to Kevin’s home. I went into his basement the place he’s acquired all his Star Wars figures like slightly museum and he stated, ‘That is wonderful.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, it’s good, however I’ve to do one thing else first.’ And — oh my God, I didn’t bear in mind this till proper now — Kevin goes, ‘Ugh, are you doing Superman?’”
David Corenswet in ‘Superman’
Warner Bros.
The challenge was really his 2021 sequel The Suicide Squad, which he directed earlier than returning to Marvel for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
When requested if he felt an “moral dilemma” leaping ship for DC, Gunn stated, “No, I simply shook my head. I didn’t really feel that manner as a result of I used to be fired.”
“Hear, there are people who I’m not that pleased with over there [at Disney], however that definitely wasn’t the Marvel guys, you already know?” defined Gunn. “They have been fully supportive. [Marvel Studios Co-President] Louis D’Esposito referred to as me on a regular basis. Lou and Kevin have been nice. So it definitely wasn’t them. However I didn’t really feel guilt in any respect. I imply, I needed to take a job! I took a job [with] people who I additionally actually appreciated, and that was it.”
Since taking up DC Studios with Safran, Superman marks the primary entry in his new DCU franchise, which begins with the ‘Gods and Monsters’ section.
In theaters July 11, Superman stars David Corenswet within the titular function. Along with Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, the solid additionally contains Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and María Gabriela de Faría as The Engineer, in addition to Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, Sean Gunn, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Isabel Merced and Nathan Fillion as some acquainted DC faces.
