DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shut down a follower online by explaining why he changed his mind about leading DC and developing a Superman movie.
James Gunn may now be one of the most influential names in the comic book industry, having directed several major projects for both Disney's Marvel Studios and Warner Bros.' DC before now taking charge of DC Studios with Peter Safran.
Unlike Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Gunn has taken a social media-heavy approach to his new DC job, frequently shutting down false rumors, interacting with his followers, and even polling fans on divisive topics.
James Gunn Is Not a Liar
Responding to a follower on Twitter who called him a "professional liar," DC Studios CEO James Gunn addressed his commitment to "never lie" to fans, questioning what fibs the user believes he may have told:
"For years it’s been my commitment to the fans that I will never lie to them… and I never have. I’d be very curious about what it is you think I’ve lied about."
The user pointed out two of Gunn's comments prior to taking over DC Studios in which he shared his disinterest in making a Superman movie or running the DC franchise - both of which he is obviously now doing.
Back in March 2022, the superhero filmmaker was asked which of the major DC characters he would be interested in working on, to which he revealed he had "chosen to do none of them," as he is drawn to "less popular characters:"
“I would, and have, chosen to do none of them. I’m much more drawn to taking less popular characters and telling their stories.”
Additionally, when a fan suggested in January 2022 that Gunn take over the DC universe, he noted that he "would never want" the jobs of former DC Films President Walter Hamada or Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige:
“Thanks for that compliment… but I would never want Walt (at DC) or Kevin (at Marvel’s) job.”
Clearly, Gunn has had a change of heart on both fronts as he is now writing 2025's Superman: Legacy - a movie that he may also direct - while serving as DC Studios co-CEO alongside Peter Safran.
The DCU boss explained that "neither of those were lies" as he only saw "how to tackle Superman" years after turning down the gig in favor of The Suicide Squad. And he only agreed to take on the DC Studios CEO job because of the offer to share the role with Safran, allowing him to "focus on the creative side:"
"Neither of those were lies. I was offered Superman but did Squad instead. A few years later I saw how to tackle Superman & took it on. I didn’t want to be the sole CEO of DC, but when they came & offered it to me AND Peter I said yes because I could focus on the creative side."
Gunn followed up by re-affirming that he has "never once lied to the fans, and never will," but may change his mind on various matters:
"Again, I’ve never once lied to the fans, and never will. That doesn’t mean I’m never going to change my mind about anything."
Why James Gunn's DC Approach is So Exciting
Throughout DC's years of behind-the-scenes struggles, Warner Bros. has undeniably shown a severe lack of transparency with its plans.
James Gunn clearly made a point of changing that under his DC Studios, taking advantage of his social media presence to keep fans in the loop as much as possible.
This already proved helpful in debunking bogus rumors and clarifying various details of the recent DCU slate announcement. One can only imagine this will continue to be beneficial once the slate gets properly underway as fans no longer have to wait for press junkets or major events for official word from DC Studios.
Gunn made it very clear that having a strong creative vision has always been at the heart of his work, so this change of heart makes plenty of sense. While the filmmaker may have originally turned down a Superman job, he has clearly had ideas emerge since then to now take on Superman: Legacy.
With regard to leading the DC franchise, Gunn is a passionate filmmaker, so he probably wouldn't want to be dedicating all his time to business and producing work that Kevin Feige has to do at Marvel Studios. Instead, he can focus on his projects and the larger DC story while Peter Safran handles to studio's operation.
Superman: Legacy hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
