With James Gunn Hire, David Zaslav Promises to ‘Preserve and Expand’ DC Universe

thewrap.com:

“For over 60 years, these and other DC characters have captivated and inspired generations of fans around the world, and as stewards of the iconic franchise, we feel a real responsibility to preserve and expand the DCU for the enjoyment of future generations,” Zaslav wrote in an internal memo announcing Gunn and Safran’s hire. “In many ways, we have only begun to scratch the surface.

James and Peter have a broad vision for DC storytelling and how it all fits together, and they plan to create even more compelling and unforgettable experiences for DC fans worldwide, while building a sustainable growth business out of the iconic franchise,” he continued.

Hiring one of the most well-known superhero directors of the past decade will certainly rebuild goodwill among DC fans after months of ugly headlines, including the cancellation of the HBO Max film “Batgirl” and reports that attempts to find a megaproducer that could be the equivalent of Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige were not bearing fruit.

But now, DC has a creative head in Gunn who is familiar with the Warner lot. Along with the wildly successful “Guardians of the Galaxy” films — which have a Disney+ holiday special completed and a third feature film in post-production — Gunn was also the director of the gory DC film “The Suicide Squad,” which was a box office bomb but proved to be popular among hardcore fans, spawning the more successful HBO Max series “Peacemaker” starring John Cena.