It's been two years since James Gunn and Peter Safran stepped into leadership roles at DC Studios, facing the monumental task of rebooting and unifying the DC Universe. In a recent press event, the duo openly addressed the core issues behind the failure of the previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU)—commonly known as the Snyderverse—highlighting the lack of cohesion as its primary flaw.
Safran explained that when he and Gunn first took control, DC was characterized by multiple creative teams, each crafting their own separate visions without a unified narrative. This approach led to fragmented storytelling, confusion among audiences, and ultimately weakened the DC brand identity. For example, Zack Snyder's films like "Man of Steel," "Batman v Superman," and "Justice League" were cohesive among themselves but diverged significantly from successful stand-alone hits such as Todd Phillips' "Joker" and Matt Reeves' "The Batman."
These disparate storytelling approaches diluted brand consistency, alienating casual fans and dividing loyalists.
Moreover, the infamous 2017 theatrical release of "Justice League" and subsequent Snyder Cut campaign only exacerbated the division among fans. Multiple portrayals of iconic characters, such as Batman—portrayed by Ben Affleck in Snyder's films, Robert Pattinson in Reeves' films, and separate portrayals on television via The CW's Arrowverse—further contributed to audience confusion.
Gunn and Safran's vision focuses heavily on rectifying these missteps. Their new approach prioritizes a unified, coherent universe where characters are consistent across films, TV series, and animation. Importantly, Gunn emphasizes the balance between connectivity and independence in storytelling—projects will interact meaningfully but remain accessible as stand-alone stories.
Their ambitious efforts kick off notably this summer with Gunn's highly anticipated "Superman," arriving in theaters July 11, 2025. While integrating previously established characters from Gunn's own projects ("The Suicide Squad" and "Peacemaker") presents some continuity challenges, the overarching goal remains clear: create an interconnected yet approachable narrative for all DC fans.
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Source: Slashfilm
Photo Credit: DC
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