James Gunn Reveals Marvel & DC Comics Characters In His Crossover Pitch

The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn reveals he's "talked to" DC and Marvel about a crossover between the two franchises. Gunn, who jumps from Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe to Warner Bros.' DC Extended Universe with his not-a-sequel to David Ayer's Suicide Squad, approached "the powers-that-be" for an unlikely — but not impossible — collaboration between the two studios. Ahead of The Suicide Squad and his upcoming return to the MCU for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Gunn reveals the DC/Marvel team-up he wants to see: Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Groot (voice of Vin Diesel).

"I would really be happy to do a Harley Quinn and Groot movie. Not only have I thought about that, but I have actually talked about that to the heads of both Marvel and DC," Gunn told the ReelBlend podcast. "It's like everybody's open to everything, but whether anything would ever happen, who knows? But the idea of being able to bring Marvel and DC together in a movie, that would be really fun for me."

After Gunn named his dream team for a crossover — Groot and Rocket Raccoon (voice of Bradley Cooper) of Guardians of the Galaxy, King Shark (voice of Sylvester Stallone) and Weasel (Sean Gunn) of The Suicide Squad — the writer-director said in June that he's "casually" discussed the possibility with DC and Marvel executives.

"I don't think it's likely," Gunn tweeted last month, "but I don't think it's an impossibility either." Gunn added that "constantly seeing crossovers & mashups is less enchanting to me than a strong story."

Animated characters from Disney and Warner Bros. famously crossed over in Disney's 1988 hybrid live-action/animated film Who Framed Roger Rabbit, including joint appearances by studio mascots Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny.

Crossovers between DC Comics and Marvel Comics are rare, but the rival universes came together for the 1976 one-shot Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, the 1996 mini-series DC vs. Marvel, and the short-lived joint publishing effort Amalgam Comics. DC and Marvel last crossed paths with the 2003 limited series JLA/Avengers.

Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige previously ruled out a crossover with another Disney-owned franchise when he told Yahoo earlier this year that he "[doesn't think there's any reason for" the MCU to meet Star Wars.

Starring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Sylvester Stallone, and Viola Davis, The Suicide Squad releases in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6.