The new head of the DCU, James Gunn gave some insight into what will make the DC universe distinct from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
When Gunn was tapped to lead the direction of the DC universe, now confirmed to be a full reboot of the franchise, many expected that he would bring many of the same philosophies used in the wildly-successful Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The MCU is where Gunn got to direct his first movie franchise, turning the Guardians of the Galaxy into household names as the third (and presumably final) installment approaches this May.
However, the co-CEO of the DCU has assured fans that this universe will be very distinct from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
James Gunn reveals how the DC universe will differ from Marvel
On January 31, Gunn and DC announced their upcoming slate of projects, known as DC Chapter 1. The 10 projects making up the ‘Gods and Monsters’ phase include fan favorites like Superman, Supergirl, Batman & Robin, and Green Lantern, along with lesser-known heroes like Booster Gold and Swamp Thing.
But Gunn made it clear when discussing this initial slate that, while he respects what Kevin Feige and Marvel have done, he is not looking to replicate their formula.
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“A lot of people think is going to be Marvel 2.0 and definitely, I learned a lot of stuff at Marvel. I think that we have a lot of differences… With Marvel, generally, it’s New York, Chicago, San Francisco…. Here at DCU, we have Metropolis, Gotham, Themyscira, and Atlantis and all of that is another fictional universe.”
Gunn also noted that, while the MCU kicked off at the “dawn of the superhero” at its inception, the DCU will begin in “a world where superheroes exist and have existed for some time in one form or another, and that’s the universe.”
Here are just a few of our plans. Up, up, and away! #DCStudios #DCU @DCComics pic.twitter.com/8XNDNLUEPq
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 31, 2023
This is obviously a reference to Iron Man and eventually the Avengers kicking of the rise of superheroes in the MCU, although there were other heroes like Captain America, Thor, Ant-Man, Captain Marvel, Black Panther, and others who were around but hidden before Iron Man took place.
Still, it seems that the key distinction is that, when the DC universe begins, the general population will not be shocked to see a caped hero swinging through Gotham City or flying through Metropolis. That, along with the completely fictional world that DC is set in, should offer unique storytelling opportunities to Gunn and this burgeoning universe.