James Gunn provided an update on his DCU future amid Warner Bros. (WB) declaring itself for sale. After reportedly receiving several unsolicited offers, WB is now officially on the market, looking for a buyer for itself and its assets. This comes mere months after the studio launched its new DCU, a new attempt at an interconnected on-screen canon led by Gunn, the filmmaker behind hits like Guardians of the Galaxy.
Gunn has not yet directly addressed these sale rumors or what they could mean for the DCU; however, he introduced a bit of uncertainty into his future with the brand, where there was relatively little before.
Speaking with BobaTalks on YouTube about how far ahead his DCU plans go, Gunn said, "They definitely go significantly further than Man of Tomorrow," but caveated that with "whether or not that’ll be me...to fulfill that promise depends on a lot of things:"
Q: “How far do these arcs go? Like, do they culminate in 'Man of Tomorrow' or can we expect them to go further than that?"
A: "Yes, they definitely go significantly further than 'Man of Tomorrow,' if I...Whether or not that’ll be me [big smile] that’s able to fulfill that promise depends on a lot of things in life, but yeah."
This is the first instance of Gunn showing any level of uncertainty about his potential future at the head of the super-powered brand. Previously, the DC Studios co-CEO shared that he had something of a 10-year plan for the franchise, leading many to assume he would be around for at least that long.
Warner Bros., and thus the DCU, finds itself in a precarious situation at present. Warner Discovery CEO David Zaslav is actively seeking a buyer, but no leading contender has emerged at this time. The most recent reporting on the situation suggests that Paramount was eyeing the Hollywood giant, but after having a second bid denied by WB, was stepping away from the bargaining table for now (per Deadline).
James Gunn's DCU marches on amid all this, with Lanterns, Supergirl, and Clayface set for release in 2026. Gunn will then return to the director's chair in 2027 with the release of the aforementioned Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Should Fans Be Worried About James Gunn's DC Future?
As of this writing, there are no concrete signs that fans should be worried about James Gunn's DCU future. The DC Studios head has had a remarkably strong start to his DC tenure, with all the DCU projects to date earning near-universal acclaim.
Why Gunn would even put something out into the world like "whether or not that’ll be me" when discussing executing on the DCU's future plans is likely because he is simply hedging his bets in this uncertain time at Warner Bros.
As the studio looks for a buyer, nothing is guaranteed. Sure, Gunn may be at the top of DC Studios now, but things can change fast in the entertainment industry. Adding the idea of new ownership complicates things exponentially.
While Gunn may have been the guy David Zaslav wanted to helm Warner's super-powered efforts, who is to say whoever buys WB will feel the same way? Perhaps they would like to establish their own leader at DC Studios, one who better reflects their specific priorities and values.
That is not to say, in Gunn's case, it is sure to happen, but it is something one has to consider as WB looks for a buyer.
