James Gunn Takes DC in New Direction with the First DCU Hero

in DC, Movies

Photo Credit: DC Comics

The new co-chief of DC Studios, James Gunn, was a guest on Smallville alum, Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast “Inside of You.” In the Youtube video, he discussed a variety of topics, but when asked about the new direction of the DC cinematic universe aka the DCU, he made clear that Blue Beetle will be the first DCU hero while Superman: Legacy will be the first DCU movie.

Gunn certainly has a daunting task to be one of the heads to reshape the DC brand. Warner Brothers Studios originally introduced audiences to the first DC Comics inspired cinematic universe with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel in 2013. The success of this film began the era of the DC Extended Universe aka DCEU, which was intended to be a direct competitor and aspiring successor to the thriving Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Discovery

Since then, the DCEU has had several successful box office runs that consisted of 11 films with four more slated to be released this year. Despite this progression, the movies of this connected universe have been mired down by behind-the-scenes drama between WB Studios and other creatives like Zack Snyder. This lack of synergy caused the creative direction of the DCEU to fail in connecting with many spectators. This distrust hit its climax with the theatrical release of Justice League. Joss Whedon was brought on to rewrite and reshoot the film to be tonally and narratively different than Snyder’s intended version.

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Discovery

These missteps led to a restructuring of leadership and James Gunn and Peter Safran became the new chiefs of DC Studios. This promotion implied that the existing iteration of the DCEU would be coming to an end. The definitive stamp to this speculation was made clearer when Henry Cavill was confirmed to not be reprising his role as Superman. A choice that sparked confusion amongst audiences after his cameo at the end of Black Adam.

Therefore, the DCU has become the future for Warner Bros. The reconstruction of this new studio has led many fans to ponder about its future. Gunn’s clarification of the initial rollout of DC characters is definitely intended to excite the fanbase. While The Flash and Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom will be the films to mark the end of the DCEU, their transition has left open this legendary gambit of superheroes to prosper again.

Photo Credit: DC Comics

Cobra Kai star, Xolo Maridueña, will be playing the hero Jaime Reyes. He is a Mexican-American teenager who comes into contact with an ancient alien parasite called the Scarab. The fusion with this sentient artifact allows him to summon extraterrestrial armor that grants him super strength, durability, speed, flight, shape-shifting and launch energy blasts. The inclusion of this character as one of the first introductions to the DCU will only add to the film’s anticipated arrival.

Blue Beetle plans to be released on August 18, 2023.

in DC, Movies

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