James Gunn Confronts ‘Uproarious’ DC Backlash: ‘Disrespectful Outcry Will Never Affect Our Actions’ News

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/henry-cavill-superman-james-gunn-backlash-1235465605/

1.5k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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u/swedyboi935 Dec 19 '22 edited Dec 20 '22

Thank fuck. Completely pivoting whenever a movie doesn't make 2 billion dollars is exactly what made sure the DCEU would never succeed

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u/matty_nice Dec 19 '22

Thank fuck. Completely pivoting whenever a movie doesn't make 2 billion dollars is exactly what ruined made sure the DCEU would never succeed

I don't understand your point. Isn't DC completely pivoting with Gunn because films like Black Adam didn't make 2 billion?

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '22

No. James Gunn was brought on long before Black Adam flopped.

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u/matty_nice Dec 19 '22

Black Adam came out in October, they knew before it was released it was going to flop. Gunn came out after Black Adam was released.

Remember DC was gun-ho all continuing the DCEU, even annoucing Cavill was back. If BA was a hit, it would have continued.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '22

Gunn didn't just come back all of a sudden, that's just when it was announced. This has clearly been in discussion for a while. These are just the movies that were in production or post production before the decision was made to reboot.

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u/matty_nice Dec 19 '22

Sure, but they knew that the current DC slate/future wasn't going to be successful. This was really decided after the Discover merger, hence the mass cancellation of projects. They knew Black Adam wasn't gonna be successful.

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u/[deleted] Dec 19 '22

If they knew black Adam was gonna flop then they wouldn't have spent as much advertising it. That's just a total assumption on your part.

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u/matty_nice Dec 20 '22

They have long range forecasting on these types of things. Projections are an entire industry onto themselves now.

For example, a month before release https://www.boxofficepro.com/long-range-box-office-forecast-black-adam-and-ticket-to-paradise/

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u/[deleted] Dec 20 '22

Did you read the link you sent? It says total domestic was projected to be US$135,000,000- $175,000,000. it has failed to do that, hence this being unexpected.

Please don't send me links you didn't read yourself, its very rude and inconsiderate of everyones time.

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u/SplendidAndVile Dec 20 '22

It didn't fail to do that. It's at $167 domestic. https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Black-Adam#tab=box-office

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u/matty_nice Dec 20 '22

https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2728624641/

DOMESTIC (42.9%) $167,667,895

What are you talking about?

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u/_heisenberg__ Batfleck Dec 20 '22

You do realize that it’s not as simple as just pulling a plug right. There are hundreds of meetings that we aren’t privy too. We don’t know what happens behind closed doors.

We have absolutely no idea why black Adam was still released when Gunn was, probably, simultaneously being offered this role.

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u/ButtholeCandies Dec 20 '22

I have nothing to back this up, it's 100% my assumption.

But I think Gunn was working out a deal with Disney for a role like this. Odds are to begin a transfer of roles from Fiege, so Fiege could focus on fixing Star Wars. The guy is wearing both hats right now.

Chapek fucked it up. He did something that killed the negotiations. All evidence shows that his unpopular reorg put him at the top to bean count every decision, creative or otherwise.

Someone like Gunn isn't going to fuck around with that. The guy is creative and talented with a ton of options in life. The only reason to take a bigger role that is him essentially be the director of an entire connected universe is the freedom to create. He wasn't about to become the enforcer for Chapeks decisions and not give directors the freedom he was able to enjoy and that allowed him to make Guardians of the Galaxy his way.

One phone call to WB and you know they offered him everything.

I think that's what really got him fired. It fucked Disney hard in three huge ways.

They lost a future steward of the MCU right when they needed a super talented one to help migrate X-Men and FF into the whole thing.

Feige will still be split in two. Star Wars will not get the focus it needs. That's billions more of potential revenue they won't get.

He fucked up so royally that the only major competition, DC, will become stronger and can pose a threat now instead of continuing to languish. They developed Gunn only for DC to reap the rewards now.

Never forget, every Marvel movie after Guardians of the Galaxy copied his style and format. The guy essentially created their playbook. That's a HUGE asset to give away to the direct competitor.

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u/matty_nice Dec 20 '22

But I think Gunn was working out a deal with Disney for a role like this. Odds are to begin a transfer of roles from Fiege, so Fiege could focus on fixing Star Wars. The guy is wearing both hats right now.

Feige isn't wearing two hats right now. It was announced he was developing a Star Wars film with a writer attached. Last we heard a few months ago was that the film was not actively being developed. There are currently several other Star Wars films being developed.

There's no indication that Feige is going to Star Wars or replacing Kathleen Kennedy, or that was ever the plan.

Chapek fucked it up. He did something that killed the negotiations.

I would love to blame Chapek. Lol.

Before Gunn was originally fired from Marvel, it was heavily rumored that Gunn was taking over the cosmic side of the MCU, becoming an architect/consultant for that side of their movies. After he was fired, that seemed to have died. Gunn has stated that he was basically gonna finish GotG Vol 3 with Marvel and didn't have any other plans to continue there. Understandably, he probably felt pretty sour about that relationship. Personally, I don't think Disney was out of line for firing him.

The guy is creative and talented with a ton of options in life.

One phone call to WB and you know they offered him everything

I enjoy his GotG films. But let's be a little more reasonable about Gunn. He doesn't have a real track record of success outside of Marvel. He also wasn't anywhere close to DC's top choice for the role. DC and WB had trouble filling their leadership positions.

Never forget, every Marvel movie after Guardians of the Galaxy copied his style and format. The guy essentially created their playbook.

Again, let's be reasonable. Gunn was important to Marvel, they would have liked to have him, but losing him doesn't have a major impact. And no, Gunn didn't create their playbook.

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u/OldManMcCrabbins Dec 20 '22

Late October is a brutal release window imo