It can be hard to keep up with cinematic universes nowadays, especially as more movies and shows are created, new characters come into the picture, and numerous plot lines are introduced. It’s rewarding to invest in each character’s story and eventually experience a major crossover movie with every relevant superhero and villain to date. However, DC Studios boss James Gunn doesn’t want this to be the only point of individual stories in the DC cinematic universe. His goal is to create movies that work well on their own despite being connected to something bigger.
The DCU consists of an array of movies and series, including Superman, Clayface, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, and more. The entries on this list confused certain fans about how they could come together for a crossover movie. The way James Gunn sees it is that these titles aren’t only set up for a larger narrative; they work well on their own.
James Gunn wants DCU individual stories to be enough on their own
As Gunn said on Threads, “the DCU is an alternate universe; we can enter at any location or time and tell THAT story.” Even though Clayface might not be movie of the year, he wants fans to see it for the sake of watching a “fun horror movie”, not because they want to be in the loop for a DCU entry “three movies from now.”
“I dislike the idea that individual stories aren’t meaningful unless they lead to something else. (…) The Superman Saga starts with Superman and travels into Man of Tomorrow and onward, and contains many characters we’ve introduced in other stories. But that doesn’t mean those other stories only exist to set up what’s happening there.”
James Gunn’s approach to the DCU is completely different from what Marvel has done with its movies. If you’ve tried watching an MCU movie recently, there is a good chance that at some point you have wondered who and what the characters are talking about because it requires you to have seen at least three different movies and a TV show. While the crossover formula has proven to be incredibly successful for Marvel in the past, many fans complain that the decline of the MCU can be partially attributed to the fact that nowadays you need a guide to properly follow the story.
Ultimately, Gunn’s approach seems to be remarkably different from what big superhero movies have delivered until now. His focus is on the movie itself, not on a bigger project that may occur in the future. Only time will tell if this strategy will be able to match Marvel’s success and revitalize the superhero genre.