The DCU Is About to Make the Same Mistake James Gunn Did On His Way Out of the MCU

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The DC Universe is off to a fantastic start! While beginning with Creature Commandos seemed unusual – it wasn’t a widely anticipated project – James Gunn had a clear vision. Creature Commandos establishes a key theme for the entire DCU: that characters’ flaws are what make them compelling. This idea continues in Superman, which offers a fresh take on the hero by portraying him as vulnerable. The movie even dares to show Superman experiencing a defeat early on, getting overwhelmed by the Hammer of Boravia before ultimately taking charge in Metropolis.

James Gunn often features characters who face internal challenges. His Guardians of the Galaxy movies center around a flawed team who ultimately discover their potential for good, even managing to save the galaxy. While these films are among the highlights of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they aren’t without their issues. The most recent Guardians movie, in particular, pushed things a little too far, and it seems the DC Universe is now making a similar mistake.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Refuses to Pull Its Punches

At the beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the team is facing a lot of hardship. They previously suffered a huge loss in Avengers: Infinity War when Gamora died while Thanos was collecting the Infinity Stones. Most of the Guardians were then gone for five years, only to return to a world already in chaos and a new version of Gamora who wasn’t the same person they remembered. While returning to Knowhere was meant to be a chance to rebuild, it instead leads to more devastating events. When Adam Warlock attacks, Rocket’s life is put in danger, which is heartbreaking in itself. But that’s just the beginning of the trouble they face.

Rocket is fighting for his life and begins experiencing memories of his childhood. These visions show he was once an Earth raccoon captured and experimented on by a scientist called the High Evolutionary. He wasn’t alone, though – Rocket befriended other animals who were also being experimented on. They all dreamed of freedom, but the High Evolutionary saw Rocket’s intelligence as a threat and killed his friends when they tried to escape. While emotional moments are common in director James Gunn’s films, seeing these animals suffer makes Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 a particularly difficult movie to watch again. Now, Gunn is warning audiences that his upcoming DC Universe film will be just as emotionally intense.

Supergirl Is About to One-Up Vol. 3

James Gunn’s love for animals is reflected in the DC Universe with Krypto, Superman’s dog, who appears in the 2025 movie to help him fight Lex Luthor and protect the world. Krypto does face some danger, getting injured during an attack on the Fortress of Solitude. Originally, a scene showing Superman’s villainous counterpart, Ultraman, hitting Krypto was included, but it was cut after test audiences disliked it. Krypto will once again be in a difficult situation in the upcoming Supergirl movie.

The initial trailer for Craig Gillespie’s Supergirl movie reveals a somber Krypto, with Kara Zor-El looking worried beside him. The film is based on the comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, where Krypto is struck by a poisonous arrow. If the movie follows the comic’s storyline, Krypto will be in serious trouble, and Kara will be determined to save him, much like Peter Quill’s situation in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. This sounds like a compelling story, but considering James Gunn’s previous work, it could be quite intense and potentially difficult to watch. The new DC Universe is asking viewers to be prepared for a lot.

Supergirl hits theaters on June 26, 2026.

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2025-12-22 20:40