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James Gunn Reveals Key Difference Between DC and Marvel
The DC Universe is hitting the ground running, but don’t expect its journey to be one constant palette.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, head of DC Studios James Gunn championed his cinematic universe’s source material, noting he wants to carry the unique flavors of DC Comics’ pages to the big screen.
“The thing I’ve always loved about DC Comics was that you had your mainstream comics that always ran, but they also had these tonally different comics like Watchmen and The Dark Knight Returns and All-Star Superman,” Gunn said. “It was different from Marvel in that way.”
Marvel Studios found unprecedented success throughout its first 11-year saga of films, one that largely followed the “Marvel formula.” While different directors entered the fold and integrated their trademark styles into their projects, like Gunn’s comedy in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy and Ryan Coogler’s dramatic dialogue in the Black Panther films, all of Marvel’s Infinity Saga projects retained the same visual style.
Gunn indicates that his DC Universe, while one large cohesive franchise, will allow each of its installments to have its own visual identity.
“That’s something that I really want to retain within the studio,” Gunn continued. “That every project is going to bring a different vision by the artists who are creating it.”
The DC Universe’s prologue in the form of Creature Commandos, an animated adventure set during World War II, arrives on Max on December 5th. The live-action side and mainline story of the rebooted franchise’s “Chapter 1 – Gods and Monsters” saga sets for the skies when Superman hits theaters on July 11th, 2025.
