James Gunn’s DCU Has a Clear Rule to Avoid Shared Movie Universe Mistakes

As a seasoned comic book enthusiast with decades of superhero-loving experience under my belt, I must say that James Gunn’s approach to the new DCU is music to my ears. The man has proven time and again that he knows how to craft engaging stories while keeping fans on their toes. His commitment to not overstuff his movies with extraneous “button” scenes is refreshing in today’s era of cinematic universe-building, where it often feels like every movie is setting up the next one instead of telling a complete story.

DC Studios has officially kicked off its new DC Universe (DCU) venture with the debut of the latest “Creature Commandos” series, and the upcoming release of the new “Superman” movie trailer preview. egmr.ru had a chance to visit the set of “Superman” and chat with DC Studios head James Gunn. During their discussion, the creation of a connected universe was a key point of emphasis; Gunn emphasized unequivocally that the DCU is determined to learn from past errors and will steer clear of a common feature seen in the Marvel Cinematic Universe or previous DC Extended Universe: the inclusion of unnecessary “easter egg” scenes to set up future installments of the franchise.

In simpler terms, James Gunn’s Superman film promises to immerse audiences into a well-established DC Universe filled with various characters in their respective roles. This universe spans across different dimensions such as Earth, cosmos, mystic realms, and street level. It also carries a rich history. The cast is confirmed and includes several cameos of DC characters like Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Metamorpho, Hawkgirl, Maxwell Lord, The Engineer, Rick Flag Sr., among others.

A regular spectator might ponder or even express concern about Superman having too many characters. After all, there are numerous instances where superhero movies (like Iron Man 2, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) become confused while establishing future shared universe aspects – it’s a delicate act for any film to manage. However, as stated by Gunn, he ensured that the larger DCU didn’t distract him from prioritizing the story of his Superman movie above all else.

According to Gunn, there are likely only two minor instances in the movie Superman that hint at the future of the DCU. In his opinion, if a scene is merely intended to set up another event, he feels strongly about it and even says, “if something’s there just for setup, forget it.

In a detailed explanation, Gunn discussed the significance of managing a movie’s screen time efficiently. He emphasized that each key moment (or “beat”) should contribute to the current film, rather than promoting upcoming projects. Furthermore, he noted that additional elements such as post-credits scenes are not essential during the initial production and creation process; they can be included later on: “These aspects can be eliminated by the time we reach the editing room…

Essentially, in a less direct manner, Gunn implied that it’s acceptable for superhero films to either primarily focus on setting up upcoming projects during their main runtime, or employ additional post-credit teases – provided that the primary movie remains a self-contained story.

If the post-credits scene complements characters from other media, that’s wonderful. And if it sets up elements within “Peacemaker,” as it does, then that’s fantastic. However, I will never compromise a moment or beat in a story, especially a movie, for such purposes. TV offers more flexibility to do this, but in a movie, every second must contribute to the film itself.

Gunn emphasized, “Each piece should be self-contained and not depend on anything else for understanding.” He further explained, “Initially, when we watch the ‘Guardians’ movie, there’s no need to see ‘Guardians 3’ to fully grasp it. In fact, I summarized the entire plot of ‘Infinity War’ in an elevator pitch. My aim is to make things as straightforward as possible, so you don’t have additional work like studying for homework, especially with TV shows that not everyone might enjoy.

Gunn and his DC Studios partner Peter Safran are boldly playing a game with their in medias res strategy for the DC Universe (DCU). Movies like “Creature Commandos” and “Superman” will set the broader context of the DCU while focusing on individual character stories, potentially reducing the need for post-credit scenes. Instead, the narrative arc of a DCU film might naturally establish connections to future installments, even before the credits begin rolling. Known for his preference for pre-credits content, it will be intriguing to observe whether studio requirements or audience expectations compel DC Studios to preserve the tradition of post-credit scenes.

Superman will be released in theaters on July 11, 2025.

2024-12-17 20:14

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