After cancelations were announced for both Titans and Doom Patrol, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn addressed exactly what happened as he works out his new plan for the DC Universe (DCU).
Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran are only a short time away from announcing their vision for the new DCU, although it’s come with cancelations for projects already in development since they took over. And while some of these were years away from going into development, there are some that have already built dedicated fan bases, and yet they still faced their end in recent weeks.
Most recently, HBO Max canceled both Doom Patrol and Titans during the middle of their currently running fourth seasons on the streaming service, with both shows coming to their official end later this year. According to insiders, both shows knew this would be the case going into production, allowing them to conclude their stories fully rather than leave them on cliffhangers.
And while fans are expectedly upset about this news with so little time remaining before both shows end, the new head of DC content made it perfectly clear when these cancelations were decided on.
James Gunn Speaks on Titans and Doom Patrol Cuts
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn took to Twitter to clarify why both Doom Patrol and Titans were canceled as he continues work on a newly revamped DC Universe.
Twitter user @GoldenKnight told Gunn that he had "a mighty big hill...to climb" in order to win back fans who enjoyed those shows after seeing them both axed:
"With 'DoomPatrol' and 'Titans' officially ending due to the new direction of James Gunn and Safran. All the fans can say is good luck. It’s a mighty big hill you have to climb to win the majority of fans over who enjoyed the shows and movies. I’ll be kicking my feet up waiting."
Gunn then set the record straight on how this decision came to be, noting that it was made before he and his partner, Peter Safran, took their positions as leaders for DC Studios:
"The decision to end the series precedes us. But I certainly wish the best for the talented group of creators, actors, and the rest of the crew that produced both shows."
Gunn Had No Impact on Axing Two DC Shows
In the same way that the messy situation with 2022's Black Adam was put into motion before Gunn and Safran were hired, Gunn made it perfectly clear that the decision to end both Doom Patrol and Titans was made at least a few months ago.
And while it remains a question as to why Warner Bros. decided to delay these announcements until after the new DC Studios co-CEOs took office, the studio didn't do any favors to anybody involved with either of the series that met their end.
Gunn already confirmed that a couple of Elseworlds-style movies will move forward under the new DCU, indicating that he's not just going to cancel everything that was in the works before he teamed up with Warner Bros.
He's also hinted that the story will not be a full blanket reboot of everything in the DC Universe, noting that there may be some characters and stories that will live on in future movies and TV shows. The news about Doom Patrol and Titans is certainly disappointing, but Gunn appears to be the wrong man for fans to aim their ire toward over the decision.
James Gunn and Peter Safran plan to announce their new plan for the DCU sometime in January.
