James Gunn has built the new DC Universe and its early-stage interconnecting stories almost entirely on his own terms. Since taking the co-CEO chair at DC Studios in late 2022, he has written every episode of Creature Commandos, written and directed Superman, and penned all eight episodes of Peacemaker Season 2 while overseeing the broader creative direction of an entire cinematic universe. It was, by any measure, an extraordinary amount of work for one person to take on.
Now, for Creature Commandos Season 2 on HBO Max, an interesting change is happening that fixes one of the DCU's biggest story-based challenges. Gunn confirmed on Threads last year that he would not be writing the new season and that a full writers' room would handle the scripts instead.
When a fan asked whether he planned to write any TV projects beyond Creature Commandos Season 2, Gunn clarified that he was only working on "Peacemaker Season 2. I am not writing CC Season 2." His answer to a follow-up question confirmed that a writer's room, not a solo writer, would be responsible for the second season's story.
It is a significant but welcome change from the approach that launched the DCU, as the franchise has struggled under the weight of Gunn's dual role as writer-filmmaker and studio executive.
How James Gunn Working on Fewer Projects Benefits the DCU
When Gunn and producing partner Peter Safran were announced as DC Studios co-CEOs, the model was without a proper plan. Gunn himself acknowledged as much, describing the arrangement as an "experiment," one that, by his own admission, he is still not sure is working. "I still don't know if it's a successful experiment," he said on Variety's Awards Circuit podcast. "It is a lot to do, and how much of it I'm actually capa[ble]."
For most studios, execs shape the direction of cinematic universes while the filmmakers make the films and shows. In Gunn's case, he's playing both roles, which isn’t favourable for the DCU. He even compared his situation to Walt Disney, noting that Disney was primarily a producer, not a director, and that model had its limits. He admitted that "I don't have enough hours in the day to do all this stuff."
This dynamic is clearly stunting the DCU's growth. Several projects announced as part of the initial Gods and Monsters slate, like The Authority, the Wonder Woman spin-off series Paradise Lost, and The Brave and the Bold, remain in limbo, waiting for the right script or risk being shelved. Gunn's script-approval-first policy means nothing gets greenlit without his approval, and when the man making those calls is also deep in production on his own projects, the pipeline slows.
This is seeping into the quality of the projects produced, as seen in Peacemaker Season 2. Gunn wrote all eight episodes, directed three episodes, and worked on Superman alongside it. Season 2 premiered in August last year, and it was good, but many would argue it was of lesser quality than the first.
The final episode of Peacemaker Season 2, in particular, was not well-received. It scored just 6.8 out of 10 on IMDb, the lowest rating of any episode in the series' run. Some attributed Season 2's lower quality to Gunn working on Superman at the same time. The heavy workload is definitely not ideal, but it seems to be changing for the better. This year's projects, which include Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface, are all not being directed by Gunn, a significant improvement from last year.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
