After the recent success of James Gunn's entries into the DCEU, it seems as though the director might be the franchise's savior by avoiding the traps that Zack Snyder fell into with his DC films. James Gunn's popularity has soared in recent years, thanks in large part to his place in two of the biggest cinematic franchises ever to exist. His first two Guardians of the Galaxy films proved to be a somewhat unexpected success for Marvel, and his recent DC efforts, The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, tested the boundaries of what that franchise would allow him to do.
Gunn's Peacemaker boasts a better Rotten Tomatoes score than other DC shows, and its edgy, irreverent humor proved to be a huge part of its appeal. Gunn recently announced that he's working on other DC projects, too, meaning that he has already got plans for his future within the franchise. After the success of Gunn's The Suicide Squad and then its spinoff series Peacemaker, it's certainly an encouraging sign with regards to the future of the DCEU.
Gunn's ability to create engaging, comedic stories within the specific medium of comic book movies is a skill that certainly bodes well for the DCEU. So far, the franchise has been plagued by an over-serious tone and a lack of any real brevity, making Gunn's DC projects something of a ray of hope for the Warner Bros. cinematic universe. The Suicide Squad's positive reviews evidenced that what the DCEU really needs is a little humor, and Gunn's approach has so far been the antithesis of Zack Snyder's in his DC movies.
James Gunn's DCEU Future Includes Multiple Releases
As James Gunn has teased more DC projects in his near future, it seems as though he'll be dedicating much of his time to working on the DCEU after the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Peacemaker has already been renewed for a second season, but Gunn proved with The Suicide Squad that he's capable of adapting an array of DC's characters, and the success of his two DC projects so far is encouraging for the franchise's future. However, Gunn's own ission that he's "working on another DC thing, and maybe another one" seems to indicate not only an immediate future with the DCEU but potentially a longer commitment.
Evidenced by Peacemaker's positive reviews (and Gunn having written all eight episodes of the show himself), James Gunn is able to give DC's audience what they want. He was also able to show reverence to less well-known aspects of the DC universe while still poking fun at its characters, which is something that the DCEU has specifically struggled with. The tease of future projects and Gunn's implied continued involvement with the DCEU could prove to be its saving grace.
Why James Gunn Can Save The DCEU
Gunn has already proved his talent at injecting comedy into almost everything he does, and while that's one of the DCEU's most obvious weak points, the director also possesses a number of other skills directly relevant to DC's characters. With the success of Peacemaker proving that the DCEU can beat Marvel, Gunn's continued involvement in the franchise could well be key to maintaining the tone that the DCEU needs to adapt. More importantly, however, are the films that Gunn made before The Suicide Squad - both for the MCU and otherwise.
Guardians of the Galaxy established that Gunn is capable of making epic sci-fi that doesn't take itself too seriously, which was a key mistake made by the earliest stages of the DCEU. Man of Steel was a grittier, sci-fi heavy take on Superman's story, and the franchise it spawned has struggled with its tone ever since. However, Gunn has also got experience in other genres that evidences how diverse he is as a filmmaker, and that too is something that DCEU can greatly benefit from.
The DCEU Can't Make James Gunn Another Zack Snyder
One of the DCEU's biggest mistakes was its treatment of Zack Snyder and Warner Bros.'s repeated interference in his creative vision. This ultimately resulted in the DCEU's jumbled tone and the common criticism of the franchise attempting to copy the MCU without any of its rival's charm. While Zack Snyder himself is an inventive filmmaker who had big plans for the franchise (as evidenced by the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League), if the DCEU were to repeat those mistakes with Gunn, its problems would endure.
The studio's input into the DCEU's films ended up hurting the franchise as a whole, but by allowing James Gunn the creative space he needs, the franchise can begin to earn a better reputation. So far, Gunn has proved that he's willing to push the envelope with irreverent and edgy humor, but he also shows a level of respect and adherence to the comics that audiences respond well to. Peacemaker confirmed Gunn is the bravest director of comic book movies as it saw him kill off important characters, but this also evidences Warner Bros.'s willingness to allow him more control over his work than Snyder was afforded before him. If the DCEU can avoid repeating the same mistakes again, Gunn has a real chance at turning the franchise around.
What James Gunn's Future DC Releases Could Be
James Gunn teasing his continued work on DC projects has prompted many to wonder exactly what those projects may be. Of course, the most likely is that one of them is Peacemaker season 2, but the second is a total mystery. However, there have been some indications of where Gunn may go next within the DCEU, as Peacemaker's Justice League cameos indicate that he potentially has his sights set on DC's biggest super-team. However, there are a number of other spin-offs from The Suicide Squad that Gunn may opt to make instead, and it's possible that he may want to steer clear of any of the more high-profile characters in the DC pantheon after the Justice League controversy.
While only time will tell the specifics of James Gunn's DCEU future, his first two offerings to the franchise have arguably been its best. This is not only a testament to Gunn's abilities as a filmmaker, but also to the way his unique style complements the DCEU and makes up for its particular shortcomings. Zack Snyder's work may have been instrumental in establishing the foundation of the franchise, but the future of James Gunn in the DCEU may well repair its less-than-stellar reputation.
