James Gunn Opens Up About “Trying” Times at DC Studios, But Confirms Third Project in the Works

Hollywood and superhero fans were stunned today to learn that DC Studios co-presidents James Gunn and Peter Safran . The news was surprising for a few reasons, but notably after the acquisition of Warner Bros. by Skydance, it seemed like the pair were in good standing with new CEO, David Ellison. On top of that, the upcoming Man of Tomorrow is in post-production, meaning Gunn’s DC future still has at least one story left to tell…or does it?

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After the news was confirmed that Gunn and Safran would be stepping down from the studio posts, the Superman filmmaker took to Threads to release another statement where he reflected on his work. In it, Gunn revealed that while he was glad that he took the job, despite not knowing if it would be a good fit, “only the closest people” to him knew how “trying” the last four years of his life had been. Gunn went on to pay respects to collaborators, friends, and the fans before teasing work on another DC project and the future of the franchise he has established, writing: “We’ve just been engaged on another DC project which I’m writing, and we’ll see where it goes after that. And, of course, the characters we set up will live on.”

James Gunn Opens Up About DC Struggles and Future

Gunn kicked off his time at DC before taking over the studio with 2021’s The Suicide Squad, a film that has become a major touchstone for the franchise’s future as John Cena’s Peacemaker was introduced, and the events of the plot continue to be referenced in films and TV. After that, things not only kicked into high gear for the filmmaker but put his vision front and center. Beyond a massive storytelling plan for shows and movies in the new DCU, Gunn’s fresh take on Superman with star David Corenswet at the center has become the lynchpin for the entire series in many ways.

Though Gunn doesn’t detail specifics about the “trying” times he had while working as co-head of DC Studios, he does allude to the extensive time management that the job clearly required. On top of developing and making his own movies, Gunn has had a steady hand in working on the other projects as well. Even if we don’t account for that, though, there was clearly a massive sprint by Gunn to get all of these things together.

In less than a year, Warner Bros. and DC Studios released the first season of Creature Commandos (with every episode written by Gunn), Superman(written and directed by Gunn), and Season 2 of Peacemaker(with every episode written by and three episodes directed by Gunn). On top of that, the follow-up to Superman, 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, came together very quickly, confirmed to the world just two months after the movie was released. All of that put into perspective, Gunn clearly put in the hours and worked hard as a creative, and that’s on top of being a studio head that had the greenlight ability for other projects.

It remains to be seen how much of Gunn and Safran’s departure has to do with the two of them not being interested in running a studio and how much of it is the leadership at Skydance wanting someone at DC Studios who will shape the franchise in the way that they want. That said, Gunn’s tease about a new project with DC (one that he’s currently only writing, but with Safran seems poised to produce based on his statement) does indicate that this take on the DCU could very well continue despite no longer being one of the two bosses at the studio.

Gunn’s full statement on his DC departure reads:

Oh, boy. What a four years. Thanks to all of you who have supported me and Peter in our time as the heads of DC Studios.

When I was a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, I used to write and draw my own comics with a mix of DC Comics characters and my own characters. Having full access to these characters to do whatever we wanted has been a dream come true. I didn’t know if I wanted this job when it was offered to me, but | just couldn’t pass up the unique opportunity. I’m glad I took the job.

But what only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least. I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job (thanks to Peter for taking the brunt of that). I’m always a very hard worker, but as a filmmaker I would at least get to take short breaks to unwind, and I’ve stolen even that time from both myself and my loved ones over the past four years (Jenn, I love you and I’m sorry and you don’t need to feel guilty for being the happiest of all people that I’m no longer doing this job). And the thing my ADHD hyperfocus has had the most difficulty with has been dividing my time between projects I’m incredibly passionate about and the ones I’m not so much and all the things I have to do as a studio head.

There have been so many highs along the way — releasing Superman and Clayface, making Peacemaker, reading the scripts to The People Vs, the entire process of Man of Tomorrow, which thus far has been the best filmmaking experience of my life, and numerous other moments.

The highest of the highs have been all the talented and wonderful people I’ve worked with and grown to love: the DC Studios crew, our talented collaborators, our casts and crews, and the boisterous and hilarious fans. And the best part of all has been working with Peter Safran, the smartest and most competent person I know. You’ve been the best partner a person could ask for, and, more so, a truly good friend.

So, yes, I will miss the people around me, and I will miss being the co-caretaker of these great characters, but I’m also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking. That’s not to say Peter and I are immediately done with DC or superheroes. We have Man of Tomorrow out this summer. And we’ve just been engaged on another DC project which I’m writing, and we’ll see where it goes after that. And, of course, the characters we set up will live on.

Thank you so very, very much for embracing the characters and stories we’ve put on screen.

Love and gratitude,
James Gunn

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