Blog
The Obligatory DCU James Gunn Reaction
02/24/2023
I am really bad at having opinions about comic book movies.
I do LIKE them, but I just don’t think they matter to me as much as they do to a lot of other fans of superheroes. I absolutely understand that for a lot of people this is the main way they consume their superhero content, but they’re really just not for me anymore. Even the best live action content is struggling to be as good as even the most mediocre animated adaptation, which is just a much better way to represent the comics, which are the things I ACTUALLY care about.
BUT… it’s kind of impossible to operate in a world of DC Comics and not talk about James Gunn’s DC announcement. None of these projects actually exist, and to be perfectly honest I won't be convinced that they WILL exist until the credits roll, because Warner Brothers just isn't a stable enough company to sustain these projects. Their leadership seems to have roughly the lifespan of a hamster. Still, we have a slate of theoretical projects and a guy behind them who has a proven track record as a good writer, director, storyteller and, probably most crucially, actual comic fan.
So... let's pretend that these things have a shot at actually being made and give some reactions. I'm going to try to frame this as positive and less-positive thoughts so I avoid sounding like an old man shouting at clouds. Also... I'm not going to bother explaining what any of this is. If you're reading this, I'm going to assume you're up to date on what we're talking about here.
I do LIKE them, but I just don’t think they matter to me as much as they do to a lot of other fans of superheroes. I absolutely understand that for a lot of people this is the main way they consume their superhero content, but they’re really just not for me anymore. Even the best live action content is struggling to be as good as even the most mediocre animated adaptation, which is just a much better way to represent the comics, which are the things I ACTUALLY care about.
BUT… it’s kind of impossible to operate in a world of DC Comics and not talk about James Gunn’s DC announcement. None of these projects actually exist, and to be perfectly honest I won't be convinced that they WILL exist until the credits roll, because Warner Brothers just isn't a stable enough company to sustain these projects. Their leadership seems to have roughly the lifespan of a hamster. Still, we have a slate of theoretical projects and a guy behind them who has a proven track record as a good writer, director, storyteller and, probably most crucially, actual comic fan.
So... let's pretend that these things have a shot at actually being made and give some reactions. I'm going to try to frame this as positive and less-positive thoughts so I avoid sounding like an old man shouting at clouds. Also... I'm not going to bother explaining what any of this is. If you're reading this, I'm going to assume you're up to date on what we're talking about here.
Holdover Projects:
Aquaman 2, Flash, Shazam 2, Blue Beetle Positive Thoughts
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Less Positive Thoughts
- Aquaman was great, but man did it have the deck stacked against it. There was every reason in the world for that movie to drop the ball, and it was just pure hard work and talent that let them pull that off. This time it's some sort of weird artifact of the DCEU, it has the whole Amber Heard blowback to deal with… and is Jason Momoa even interested in playing this character anymore after the DCEU imploded and with Lobo potentially around the corner? Do YOU think they can pull this off a second time?
- Flash is going to be an absolute mess. This project has been pinballing around so long between different creative teams across so many major changes in Warner Brothers management, it has to have been rewritten all to hell and back. Ezra Miller should be in jail. I love Keaton as much as anyone, but I can tell when they're trying to farm nostalgia instead of actually making a movie.
Creature Commandos
Positive Thoughts:
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Less Positive Thoughts:
- I do have a bone to pick with the idea that they want the live action actors to voice their characters in animation, because those are two very different skill sets. Voice actors are pretty important, and I would hate it if they have to fail their way to realizing that.
- We're about to get a LOT of stuff in the James Gunn style, and I don't know if we NEED clever little spinoff projects like this?
Superman: Legacy
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Less Positive Thoughts
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The Authority
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Paradise Lost
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Booster Gold
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Brave and the Bold
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Swamp Thing
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Lanterns
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Less Positive Thoughts
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Waller
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Less Positive Thoughts
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And that's it, for now. There are more to come obviously, and I very much doubt that all of these will actually see the light of day. I appreciate all the speculation, of course, but often when I'm talking with other comic nerds and the conversation turns to movies, I get a little sad, because I'd much rather talk about actual comics.
Still, I don't want to sound like a grumpy old man complaining that his favorite hobby is the center of attention. There are still some fantastic adaptations happening... Invincible is over on Amazon and is practically perfect. I've been watching the aformentioned Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur and enjoying it more than anything Marvel has made in years, and of course Sandman is still on Netflix and is hands down the best adaptation of anything I've ever seen. Once some of these projects come out, I'll certainly check them out, if only because teenage me would be so mad at me if I didn't.
Still, I don't want to sound like a grumpy old man complaining that his favorite hobby is the center of attention. There are still some fantastic adaptations happening... Invincible is over on Amazon and is practically perfect. I've been watching the aformentioned Moon Girl & Devil Dinosaur and enjoying it more than anything Marvel has made in years, and of course Sandman is still on Netflix and is hands down the best adaptation of anything I've ever seen. Once some of these projects come out, I'll certainly check them out, if only because teenage me would be so mad at me if I didn't.