
My role at DC Studios is all creative, says James Gunn
James Gunn's job at DC Studios is "all creative".
The 58-year-old filmmaker and his long-time producer Peter Safran became co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios in 2022, and James has now explained how he's balanced his role at DC with the demands of writing and directing the new Superman movie.
He told Entertainment Weekly: "The balance isn't between creative and business. The balance is between specific creative and macro creative.
"Peter Safran, he does all our meetings, he does all the business stuff.
"For me, it's about writing and directing, but it's also about shepherding other writers and directors. It's about trying to come up with other ideas for other shows, other movies that I give to other writers to take care of. So my job is all creative.
"Occasionally, there are other things that you need to do, of course, as any writer/director does, but mostly it's taking care of the creative storytelling across all platforms."
James acknowledges that he "can't do everything" at DC Studios.
The filmmaker - whose previous directing credits include Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad - said: "It's a little bit too much at times. I can't do everything.
"I've had to try to focus on what I can focus on, which has been part of my learning process over the past couple years of having this job. If I try to do everything, it's too little of any one thing, so I need to really focus on certain pieces of what's happening."
Superman is the first movie that James has written and directed in DC's new era. And the director admits that Superman is crucial to the success or failure of the DC brand.
He explained: "He's one of the three biggest characters at DC, one of the most important characters in all of Warner Bros.' catalogue, but was also really the figurehead of DC in a lot of ways because he's the first ever superhero. So it seemed like the right movie to do first."
James previously claimed that "people are looking for heroes right now".
The director also revealed that he was feeling optimistic about the David Corenswet-led Superman film.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at a DC press event, he explained: "I think he's the right Superman because he is a character that stands for something that is solid, stands for basic human morals, basic human integrity, basic belief in protecting others and protecting the weak being good to people and being honest.
"People are looking for heroes right now. They are looking for values of goodness, looking for people who are good and decent human beings. And Superman is that."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Perth Now
7 hours ago
- Perth Now
My role at DC Studios is all creative, says James Gunn
James Gunn's job at DC Studios is "all creative". The 58-year-old filmmaker and his long-time producer Peter Safran became co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios in 2022, and James has now explained how he's balanced his role at DC with the demands of writing and directing the new Superman movie. He told Entertainment Weekly: "The balance isn't between creative and business. The balance is between specific creative and macro creative. "Peter Safran, he does all our meetings, he does all the business stuff. "For me, it's about writing and directing, but it's also about shepherding other writers and directors. It's about trying to come up with other ideas for other shows, other movies that I give to other writers to take care of. So my job is all creative. "Occasionally, there are other things that you need to do, of course, as any writer/director does, but mostly it's taking care of the creative storytelling across all platforms." James acknowledges that he "can't do everything" at DC Studios. The filmmaker - whose previous directing credits include Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad - said: "It's a little bit too much at times. I can't do everything. "I've had to try to focus on what I can focus on, which has been part of my learning process over the past couple years of having this job. If I try to do everything, it's too little of any one thing, so I need to really focus on certain pieces of what's happening." Superman is the first movie that James has written and directed in DC's new era. And the director admits that Superman is crucial to the success or failure of the DC brand. He explained: "He's one of the three biggest characters at DC, one of the most important characters in all of Warner Bros.' catalogue, but was also really the figurehead of DC in a lot of ways because he's the first ever superhero. So it seemed like the right movie to do first." James previously claimed that "people are looking for heroes right now". The director also revealed that he was feeling optimistic about the David Corenswet-led Superman film. Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at a DC press event, he explained: "I think he's the right Superman because he is a character that stands for something that is solid, stands for basic human morals, basic human integrity, basic belief in protecting others and protecting the weak being good to people and being honest. "People are looking for heroes right now. They are looking for values of goodness, looking for people who are good and decent human beings. And Superman is that."

News.com.au
12 hours ago
- News.com.au
New Lois Lane Rachel Brosnahan slams actors for complaining about superhero movies after Dakota Johnson's snide remarks
Rachel Brosnahan is fighting for the superhero genre. The actress, who plays Lois Lane in the new 'Superman' film, called out actors who complain about their own superhero movies while chatting with Amanda Seyfried for an Interview Magazine piece published on Monday. 'That's the thing about these movies: You can feel it when people are doing it with passion and grace and curiosity,' said Seyfried, 39, reports the New York Post. Brosnahan, 34, replied, 'I don't know why people say yes only to then turn around and complain about it. Look, I don't want to s – t on other actors, but there was a minute where it was cool to not like superhero movies and to look back on projects like this and pooh-pooh them.' 'Do it or don't do it, and then stand by it,' Brosnahan added. Seyfried, who has never been in a superhero movie, praised James Gunn's upcoming Superman remake. 'I honestly don't think you should call it a superhero movie ever again, because it isn't just that, and I think people are going to see that,' said the Mean Girls star. 'It's really important to have this kind superhero, this guy who's just trying to do his best,' Seyfried added. Brosnahan, in agreement, told the fellow actress: 'The cool thing about it is that it's what you expect, and then there's more. Of course, there's great fighting and stunts and big monsters and good and evil.' The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star is portraying Clark Kent's colleague-turned-love interest in Superman. David Corenswet stars as the Man of Steel, alongside Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Ed Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern. As Brosnahan mentioned, many actors have starred in superhero flicks and then turned on the films after their releases. Dakota Johnson famously bashed her 2024 Marvel movie Madame Web after it flopped at the box office. 'I had never done anything like it before. I probably will never do anything like it again because I don't make sense in that world,' she told Bustle last year. 'And I know that now. But sometimes in this industry, you sign on to something, and it's one thing and then as you're making it, it becomes a completely different thing, and you're like, 'Wait, what?' ' Johnson added. Christian Bale also criticised the process of making 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder, in which he played the villain Gorr the God Butcher. 'I mean, the definition of it is monotony,' the Oscar winner, 51, told GQ of green-screen acting. 'You've got good people. You've got other actors who are far more experienced at it than me. Can you differentiate one day from the next? No. Absolutely not.' But, like Brosnahan, other actors have defended the superhero genre, including Man of Steel and Thor: Love and Thunder star Russell Crowe. 'You're telling me you signed up for a Marvel movie, and some f**king universe for cartoon characters … and you didn't get enough pathos?' Crowe, 61, said last year in response to Johnson's negative Madame Web comments. 'These are jobs,' Crowe added. 'Here's your role, play the role. If you're expecting this to be some kind of life-changing event, I just think you're here for the wrong reasons.'


Perth Now
2 days ago
- Perth Now
Tom Rhys Harries signs on to DC's horror flick Clayface
Tom Rhys Harries is to star in Clayface. The 32-year-old actor has beat off competition from the likes of Sinners star Jack O'Connell, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes actor Tom Blyth and 1917's George MacKay for the leading role in DC's upcoming horror movie. Speak No Evil director James Watkins has signed on to helm the project, which is slated to shoot at Warner Bros. Leavesden studio in the UK later this year as it marches towards its September 2026 release date. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Clayface will be a 'stripped down movie', with a budget of approximately $40 million. The flick will reportedly follow a B-movie actor who becomes a walking mound of clay after injecting himself with a mystery substance in an attempt to stay relevant. Watkins will be working from a script written by Doctor Sleep director Mike Flanagan, while The Batman filmmaker Matt Reeves will produce alongside Lynn Harris, and DC co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. DC's next movie will be Gunn's Superman, which is set to land in cinemas on 8 July 2025, and will usher in a new cinematic era for the studio. Superman - which stars David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan and Nathan Fillion - will follow a young Clark Kent grapple with his dual identity as he rises to become Earth's protector against a powerful alien threat. As humanity questions its need for a saviour, Superman must prove that hope is his greatest power. Gunn previously teased Corenswet's Man of Steel would 'blow people away' in Superman. During an appearance on a panel at New York Comic Con in October, the Guardians of the Galaxy director said: 'We're deep in the process of editing. David Corenswet is going to f****** blow people away. He is the movie star that everyone just dreams he could possibly be. 'I don't think anyone really understands the depth of this guy's talent dramatically, comedically. He's the best physical action star I've probably ever worked with.' Corenswet's co-star Brosnahan - who will play Superman's love interest Lois Lane - also teased the blockbuster would 'stay true to the comics'. Speaking to Deadline, she said: 'There's a lot of challenges for everybody in all different pockets of the worlds right now. 'And for a lot of the complaints that people have sometimes about superhero movies, at their core, they're about the goodness of people and how good we can be to each other, how the pursuit of truth and justice really are the American way, and that courage and hope can carry us through. 'And so, I feel like this movie really encapsulates all of that. It's a hopeful superhero movie, which I feel like is so true to the comics. So, I'm excited for audiences to see it and hopefully have some fun and enjoy the ride with us.'