James Gunn has clapped back at critics questioning the continuity of his DC Universe. With Clayface in theaters this weekend and Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday on the horizon, fans online have been comparing the two universes, and one commenter asked bluntly what Gunn’s slate is building towards.
James Gunn (Credits: Deadline / DC Studios)
The commenter listed six recent DCU projects, Superman, the Peacemaker series, Supergirl, the animated Creature Commandos, Clayface, and the much-lauded series Lanterns, and asked, “What’s this building towards??????” Gunn took to Threads on Saturday to answer directly.
James Gunn DCU Continuity Response: Stories Don’t Need to Lead Somewhere
“I couldn’t agree more,” Gunn wrote in response to a fan who argued he does not need to lay the foundation for one totally interconnected universe. “DCU is just an alternate universe; we can enter at any location or time and tell THAT story. I dislike the idea that individual stories aren’t meaningful unless they lead to something else.”
Gunn pointed to Star Wars as his example, noting that the franchise has “essentially been doing this for 50 years across movies, shows, games and books, admittedly without the tonal variety.” The DCU, by contrast, has deliberately swung between tones, from Superman’s hopeful blockbuster scale to Clayface, an R-rated body horror film starring Tom Rhys Harries as Matt Hagen.
But the DCU Still Has Connections, Gunn Says
Gunn was careful to stress that standalone stories do not mean no connectivity. “The Superman Saga starts with Superman and travels into Man of Tomorrow and onward, and contains many characters we’ve introduced in other stories,” he explained. “But that doesn’t mean those other stories only exist to set up what’s happening there.”
His closing point was about Clayface itself: “I would love people to be seeing Clayface because it’s a great, fun horror movie unto itself, not because of where else Clayface will show up three movies from now.” Clayface easily topped the box office in its debut, earning $24 million from 3,458 North American theaters.
Also Read: Clayface Scores $3.5M Thursday Previews, Eyes $20M–$25M Opening Weekend
Source: Deadline — read the full story there.