James Gunn Explains Why DC Studios Killed a Movie With a Director Attached: “We Can’t Make This Film”

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Batgirl isn’t the only project that has been scrapped at DC. Two years after James Gunn and Peter Safran, who were recently appointed as co-chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios, defended the contentious choice to scrap a $90 million movie during post-production called Batman spinoff featuring Leslie Grace and Michael Keaton, they themselves decided to cancel one of their own projects. In an interview with Rolling Stone, while promoting their first film from DC Studios and the start of the new DC Universe titled Superman, Gunn revealed that they had terminated another project. Everyone wanted to make this movie, it was greenlit and ready to go, but the screenplay wasn’t ready. Unfortunately, I couldn’t proceed with a movie where the screenplay wasn’t good enough.

Although DC Studios’ upcoming movie wasn’t as far into development as the cancelled Batgirl film, director James Gunn has consistently stated that production won’t begin on any project until a complete script is available. In a recent interview with NPR, Gunn voiced his disapproval of low-quality movies and criticized studios for making films from unfinished scripts to adhere to fixed release dates.

80% of the time when a big movie is being produced, the scripts are still being finalized as the filming takes place, according to the director of Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad. This method is problematic because it often results in poor quality movies, emphasizing the importance of having well-written scripts.

DC Studios is making an effort to amplify the significance of screenwriters in the filmmaking process, viewing them as essential contributors rather than marginalizing their role as has been common practice over the past two decades. This oversight, some argue, is a primary factor behind the subpar quality of recent movies.

Gunn noted that many screenplays fail to be fully developed past the initial act, leading to inconsistencies when compared to the final act of the movie.

As a seasoned movie critic, let me share my thoughts: “A film’s opening act needs to be interconnected with its finale. If the ending isn’t yet penned, movies simply don’t function that way. The narrative structure is like a well-oiled clock where every piece must fit harmoniously together. Time and again, I’ve witnessed this issue, and it drives me up the wall. Despite my ongoing efforts to spread awareness, the misstep persists. It’s baffling indeed.

In Gunn’s words, “I will always avoid it. I will never produce a film without a completed script.” He explained that they had a screenplay for a movie, which went through two and three drafts, but the changes weren’t making it better. Instead of improving, the script remained stagnant. Frustrated, he declared, “We can’t make this film. We simply cannot. It’s not good; we all know it’s not good.

He went on to say, “Even with a competent director and scriptwriter, it doesn’t guarantee a successful script. This project is bound to disappoint everyone involved. The end result won’t be good; neither the director nor the screenwriter will shine favorably, and our reputation will suffer. Consequently, we won’t produce the movie. In essence, we’ve nipped it in the bud.

In the year 2023, Gunn and Safran unveiled their list of 10 upcoming DC Universe projects, featuring titles such as Superman (originally known as Superman: Legacy), Supergirl (previously titled Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow), The Authority, Swamp Thing, and the Batman & Robin movie called The Brave and the Bold. Additionally, they announced several other projects including an animated series for HBO Max called Creature Commandos (now released), an HBO mystery-drama named Lanterns (anticipated in 2026), a Game of Thrones-style Wonder Woman spinoff series titled Paradise Lost (still in development), Booster Gold (currently on hold), and spinoffs for The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker called Waller, both of which are also experiencing delays.

Currently, Andy Muschietti is linked to the DCU Batman film and the studio appears to be speeding up production on a Wonder Woman remake. However, The Authority and Swamp Thing projects seem to have been put on hold for now. In February 2023, James Mangold (known for Logan) was announced as the director for Swamp Thing, but since then, no further developments have been reported. Back in February of this year, Gunn shared updates on both films, stating that discussions about Swamp Thing occur occasionally, but he mentioned that The Authority has faced challenges moving forward.

Even though not officially included in the first DC Studios production schedule, Gunn and Safran have scheduled the R-rated horror film “Clayface,” written by Mike Flanagan and directed by James Watkins, for September 2026. They are also working on a “Sgt. Rock” movie that originally intended to start production in the spring, but it’s now expected to begin in summer 2026 instead. The World War II-themed film, previously from Luca Guadagnino and starring Colin Farrell as “The Penguin,” has been postponed, with production now slated to start in summer 2026.

After the release of “Superman”, DC Studios has scheduled the films “Supergirl” for June 26, 2026, “Clayface” for September 11, 2026, and Matt Reeves’ “The Batman: Part II” for October 1, 2027.

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2025-07-17 03:40