James Gunn Says DC Studios Films Focus on Individual Stories Unlike Marvel’s Crossovers

Cinematic universes are hard to follow these days. More movies and shows arrive, new characters join, and plot lines pile up. Investing in each character’s story can pay off, especially when a big crossover finally brings every hero and villain together. DC Studios boss James Gunn doesn’t want that crossover to be the only point of the individual stories in the DC cinematic universe. He wants each movie to stand on its own while still connecting to something bigger.

The DCU includes Superman, Clayface, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns and more. Some fans have been confused about how all those titles could come together in a crossover. Gunn sees them as more than setup for a larger narrative. He says they work well on their own.

James Gunn wants DCU stories to work 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.” Clayface might not be movie of the year, but Gunn wants people to see it because they want a “fun horror movie.” He doesn’t want them watching only to stay 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.”

Gunn’s approach differs sharply from Marvel’s. Anyone who has tried an MCU movie recently may have wondered what the characters were talking about, since following it can require at least three other movies and a TV show. The crossover formula brought Marvel huge success in the past. Many fans now argue that the MCU’s decline is partly down to needing a guide to properly follow the story.

Gunn puts the focus on the movie in front of the viewer, not on a bigger project that may arrive later. Whether that strategy can match Marvel’s success and revitalize the superhero genre remains to be seen.

Related reading: In the wake of HBO’s Lanterns, let’s celebrate Hal Jordan’s real talent: getting bopped on the head.

Source: Polygon