DC Studios CEO James Gunn is facing backlash from fans of Zack Snyder's DC universe following recent updates surrounding the franchise's future.
Almost two years after Zack Snyder's Justice League hit HBO Max following a viral movement, some fans are still rallying to "Restore the SnyderVerse" and continue the director's vision. However, following the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran as DC Studios' new heads in October, things are looking bleak for that story.
According to the latest reports, Warner Bros. may be looking to recast several of the Justice League actors that were first hired as part of Snyder's productions. Meanwhile, the Man of Steel, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman franchises all appear to be coming to an end, with all signs pointing toward an imminent reboot.
Nonetheless, some SnyderVerse diehards are still pushing to bring back the controversial filmmaker - who is currently making his presence known at Netflix across multiple new franchises. There was even backlash from that community toward Black Adam which was said to usher in a "new era" of DC.
James Gunn Blasted By Zack Snyder Fans
DC fans have been divided across social media following reports that point to Warner Bros. seeking a fresh start for the DC universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran's leadership. Following the news published Wednesday night, the "#FireJamesGunn" and "#BringBackZackSnyder" hashtags began trending on Twitter.
@TheNuGeekz opposed the notion of a reboot, calling for Warner Bros. to fire DC Studios CEO James Gunn and continue the SnyderVerse story:
"This is BS! THEY BETTER NOT REBOOT! ZASLAV, ABDY, AND DE LUCA WANT THE SNYDER VERSE! #RestoreTheSnyderVerse #FireJamesGunn!!!"
@restoreZSJL referred to Zack Snyder as the "one hope to save DC:"
"There is literally only one hope to save DC. #BringBackZackSnyder #FireJamesGunn"
@SupesBatsy shared an image of Gunn with Justice League director Joss Whedon and offered their belief that they both "shaped the DCEU more than they did with the MCU," calling for the new CEO to be terminated:
"The way these two shaped the DCEU more than they did with the MCU #FireJamesGunn."
@TommySnyder991 posted a clip of Steppenwolf from Zack Snyder's Justice League in which the villain promised "this world will fall" and added that the "DCEU will fall:"
"Steppenwolf was right DCEU will fall. #FireJamesGunn."
@SnyderQueen_ shared a picture of Ben Affleck's Batman, Henry Cavill's Superman, and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, alongside a caption that stated, "DC needs its Trinity:"
"DC needs its Trinity. Always. #FireJamesGunn #BringBackZackSnyder"
@KidFate referred to Gunn as both the "wrong person" to direct The Suicide Squad and to lead DC Studios, before sharing concerns about DC's new era:
"#FireJamesGunn
He was the wrong person to do a Suicide Squad movie, he was the wrong person to head DC Studios.
"And his so-called plan is going to tank one of the most valuable IPs in the world in favor of farts, dick jokes, and D-list characters."
@Joshie200 revealed their desperation to see Snyder's full story unfold and added that the franchise is now "now completely ruined:"
"All I want to see is Zacks's full story. Everything that's going on right now at DC is completely ruined. #BringBackZackSnyder #FireJamesGunn"
@sanjheev10 shared concerns that Gunn "is going to destroy this franchise" and speculated that the recent updates may negatively impact 2023's DC films:
"Gunn is just going to destroy this franchise to the core. Today's news just going to make a huge negative impact on 2023's DC films which probably have no future. Gunn is orchestrating a 'franchise sui*ide' for DCEU #FireJamesGunn"
Will the SnyderVerse Movement Ever End?
Fans spent four years dedicated to the "Release the Snyder Cut" movement, which in turn led to the same group calling for Warner Bros. to "Restore the SnyderVerse" over the past year. With this in mind, one can only imagine this movement will continue pushing for some time, even as the DCU moves toward a reboot.
James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed to lead DC Studios with a vision of creating a cohesive universe and storyline that will become successful for years to come, much like the MCU. And having so many moving pieces already in play only makes that task tougher, making a full reboot the clear solution.
But perhaps the studio may opt for more of a soft reboot instead a complete reset as it's hard to imagine Gunn completely abandoning his Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad characters that were part of that original DCEU timeline. So, perhaps some actors may stick around for the future while others are replaced.
When Warner Bros. opted to remove Zack Snyder as Justice League director, the studio clearly had no idea the extent of the problems it would cause them for years to come. Even now, the biggest canon conflicts and cast issues in play are coming from DC's premier team of heroes, placing them all on the block for a recast.
Zack Snyder is currently in the midst of a two-year deal with Netflix that has him focused on kickstarting his sci-fi Rebel Moon universe and continuing his post-apocalyptic Army of the Dead franchise. So, for now, the director would likely be far too busy to continue his DC saga, even if Warner Bros. did want him back.
James Gunn and Peter Safran will unveil their plans for DC's future to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav imminently. For now, Zack Snyder's Justice League is streaming on HBO Max.
