James Gunn Reveals DCU Will Be Different From Marvel Cinematic Universe in One Major Way

James Gunn, one of the CEOs of DC Studios, said in a recent interview that viewers won’t need to watch every single DC project to follow along. He explained that while the productions are part of a connected universe, the goal is to create a cohesive narrative world without depending on one big ongoing plot or heavily interconnected titles. This approach sets the DCU apart from the MCU, where keeping up with movies and shows is often necessary to understand what’s happening with all the characters.

Gunn talked to Collider and shared more details. When asked about DC’s long-term plans, he explained that only minor adjustments would be needed, nothing requiring major overhauls to align with existing productions familiar to fans. “I don’t think of DCU as being, “Oh, this is a story we’re telling over multiple films and TV shows about one big bad.” I don’t want to have to do, as an audience member, the homework to have to see every single thing. It is more of a connected universe that exists within one place,” he said.

Since Gunn stepped into his role at DC Studios, public expectations have risen. For a while, DC productions had been struggling with declining audiences and increasingly negative reviews. The co-CEO has made it clear that everything will be rebooted, and to emphasize how the universe will stand apart from the MCU, he even addressed production schedules in a reply to a fan on social media.

Feige is known for announcing all of Marvel’s future projects at once, but Gunn’s approach will be different. “It won’t be exactly like Marvel because nothing is greenlit before we have a finished script,” he said on Threads. So, even though several films and series have been announced, the development process will only move forward once all the creative work is completed and properly approved.

In his conversation with Collider, he was also asked about Batman, especially since Matt Reeves’ movie is getting a sequel soon, and fans are curious how the superhero will fit into the new phase of the DC universe. Gunn replied that things are still unclear and not fully decided yet, though he hopes everything will go according to plan. For him, the most important thing is being able to tell a satisfying story. “Until we have a screenplay that I’m totally happy with, that movie is not going to get made, no matter what it is,” he said.

He also mentioned that projects like Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and the Lanterns series were lucky, as they’ve come together well — these are the only ones already confirmed for filming next year.

For superhero fans, this is great news as it demonstrates a commitment to both quality and the audience. Although a big revelation beforehand, like Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU, can be exciting, it also comes with risks and unpredictability. The COVID-19 pandemic caused many projects to be delayed and schedules to be adjusted, so Gunn deserves credit for taking a more cautious approach with the DCU. However, the downside is that it might take longer for everything to come to fruition.