Mark Ruffalo Says Marvel 'Should Be Sweating' After Losing James Gunn to DC

By Savannah Sanders Updated:
Mark Ruffalo James Gunn Marvel

Hulk star Mark Ruffalo has commented on Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn joining DC Studios. 

While it's true that Gunn has created DCU content in the past, including 2022's Peacemaker and 2021's The Suicide Squad, he wasn't the co-CEO of DC Studios then. 

Now that he and Peter Safran are DC's version of Kevin Feige, the question many are asking - including OG Marvel star Mark Ruffalo - is how the MCU will stack up against Gunn's vision for a DC Universe.

Mark Ruffalo Comments on James Gunn's DC Jump

James Gunn between Marvel and DC
James Gunn

At Emerald City Comic Con, Marvel's Mark Ruffalo was asked what advice he would give to DC amidst its reboot. 

But instead of words of wisdom, the Hulk star responded with words of confidence in James Gunn, saying, "Marvel should be sweating:"

"I would say, hire James Gunn, cause nobody does it better. And Marvel should be sweating because James Gunn is a really gifted filmmaker and I think he's going to be amazing for that franchise."

Even though Mark Ruffalo has never been in a James Gunn MCU film, Gunn's Guardians were significant players in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, both of which featured the She-Hulk: Attorney at Law star. 

No Longer a Gunn For Hire

Since Superman: Legacy, the first film of James Gunn and Peter Safran's reboot, isn't expected to release until 2025, it's hard to say whether Marvel Studios should, as Ruffalo claimed, be "sweating" the director's jump to the blue brand. 

Besides, while Gunn has proven his ability to create beloved blockbuster films and franchises, he has never run a studio or mapped out an interconnected comic book universe. 

But even though only time will tell, this conversation should only intensify leading up to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3's May release, especially if the threequel lives up to the hype. 

To make things all the more interesting, James Gunn will be shepherding the old DC regime's remaining slate into theaters, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods and The Flash in March and June respectively. 

No doubt, the year is just getting started in terms of predictions for Marvel and DC. However, the fact tenured Marvel star believes Gunn poses to be a problem for the MCU is certainly worth paying attention to and may echo what other MCU stars are thinking as well. 

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 arrives in theaters on May 5.

- In This Article: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Release Date
May 05, 2023
Platform
Theaters
- About The Author: Savannah Sanders
Savannah Sanders joined The Direct as a writer in 2020. In addition to writing for The Direct's Star Wars, Marvel, and DC teams, Savannah specializes in the relationship between Disney's blockbuster franchises and the Disney Parks.