James Gunn’s DCU Is About to Repeat the Same Problem He Inherited from the DCEU Four Years Ago

James Gunn and Peter Safran have stepped down as the heads of DC Studios, putting the future of their DCU plans in jeopardy. Gunn’s plan for the franchise has been interesting to follow, with it taking big swings on lesser-known characters like Peacemaker and the Creature Commandos.

However, the box office failure of films like Supergirl and Clayface put Gunn and Safran’s tenure in jeopardy in the wake of Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros., and unsurprisingly, executive changes have been made. Now, Jeremy Latcham will oversee DC Studios, with this shakeup potentially recreating one of the biggest problems with the previous DC cinematic universe’s conclusion.

Man of Tomorrow Will Suffer The Same Fate As The Flash After James Gunn’s DCU Departure

The Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, as well as the spinoff series The People v. Gorilla Grodd, are still moving forward, but it’s unclear if any of Gunn and Safran’s other planned projects will come to fruition. With projects like The Brave and the Bold still in the early stages of development, it seems likely that Man of Tomorrow could be the DCU’s last feature film, even though it wasn’t planned to be that way.

For longtime fans of DC’s cinematic efforts, this is reminiscent of 2023’s The Flash, the final film in the ever-changing DCEU. In the franchise’s final years, plans were constantly changing. The pivot from the Snyderverse to more unique projects like Shazam! and The Suicide Squad, and then to the overreliance on Black Adam, signaled that Warner Bros. was never confident in their DC plans. This was clear all the way to the very end, as The Flash was a jumbled mess. The film was clearly attempting to simultaneously wrap up the DCEU and introduce its next phase, including characters like Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and reintroducing characters like George Clooney’s Batman. It raised tons of questions regarding what was next for the DCEU, and as it turns out, none of these questions would be answered.

The Flash‘s last-minute changes were clearly a product of Warner Bros. pivoting from continuing the DCEU to canceling it mid-production, and Man of Tomorrow could wind up suffering the same fate. The Superman sequel was clearly set to establish the next chapter of the DCU, featuring major crossover characters like Green Lantern, Blue Beetle, and potentially even Wonder Woman. However, it now has to function as the end of the DCU, the exact opposite of what it was planned to be. It’ll be difficult for Man of Tomorrow to synthesize these two purposes, and unfortunately, it could wind up hurting the film.

It is possible that Warner Bros. could leave Man of Tomorrow alone, allowing Gunn and Safran’s final film to release as intended. However, ending the franchise on a setup for future projects that will never come is understandably a risk, potentially compromising whatever is next for DC. On the other hand, forcing changes on Man of Tomorrow could also create negative press for the next phase of DC movies. This puts both the film and the studio in a bad place, creating the same intersection of production issues that DC already fumbled in The Flash.

Man of Tomorrow’s DCU Fate May Be Even More Tragic Than The Flash’s

It isn’t controversial to acknowledge that The Flash wasn’t very good, and even if it weren’t the DCEU’s final film, this would probably still be the case. The DCEU had a poor critical track record, and the film had narrative issues completely unrelated to its position in the franchise. However, Man of Tomorrow is in a different spot.

Almost all of the superhero films that Gunn has directed have been universally beloved, and the fact that he’s back in the director’s chair for Man of Tomorrow bodes well for the film’s quality. So, if the DCU ends on a great film, the franchise’s fate will be even more tragic than the DCEU’s. Man of Tomorrow could prove that the franchise still has a lot of steam, proving that we will be losing some fantastic potential films with the DCU’s change of course. The film could be good enough that it makes viewers want to see The Brave and the Bold or any of the DCU’s other planned projects, something that likely will never happen now.

Even if Man of Tomorrow is great, there is virtually no chance of Skydance reversing course. Gunn and Safran are out, and the best that we can hope for is that Man of Tomorrow will be a fantastic swan song for the DCU.

What do you think about Gunn and Safran’s departure from the DCU? Let us know on the ComicBook Forum!

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