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James Gunn's latest slate of DC films, "Gods and Monsters," has sparked concern among fans who are worried that the DC cinematic universe will face the same challenges it did under Zack Snyder.
Snyder's original strategy was to create a dark and gritty shared film franchise that would feature realistic portrayals of iconic comic book characters, interconnected films, and a recognizable visual style.
However, Snyder's departure from the Justice League film and Warner Bros.'s dissatisfaction with his take on the movie led to Joss Whedon taking over and creating a poorly received version.
James Gunn's new DC slate and the concern over the continuity of universes
The problem now is that with the addition of Gunn's new DCU and multiple other Elseworlds films, it needs to be more straightforward for casual fans to distinguish between the different versions of characters.
For example, Todd Phillips' Joker will have a sequel next year, featuring Lady Gaga's Harley Quinn, while the Matt Reeves Batman film will have its Joker and Harley Quinn. On the other hand, Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn is different from both of these.
The same applies to Batman, with three different Bruce Waynes now in the mix. As James Gunn continues to develop his DCU, he may face the same challenges Snyder did when fans pushed back against changes to the Snyderverse continuity.
DCU will now have multiple versions of the same characters, which may need to be clarified for the general moviegoing audience. This is in stark contrast to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has a single vision for its heroes and villains.
On the surface, the concept of Elseworlds may seem like an easy solution to the fragmentation of the DC characters and universe. However, for the general moviegoer, it only serves to create confusion.
With three Clark Kents and three Bruce Waynes, it will be difficult to explain to the masses which Superman and Batman are part of the DCU. The risk is that fans may prefer a different version of a character, such as Matt Reeves' Batman, over Gunn's, and this could cause a division similar to what happened during Walter Hamada's reign.
James Gunn's new addition to DCU brings challenges and pitfalls
James Gunn's new foray into DCU with his "Gods and Monsters" series and Elseworlds plan comes with great responsibility and potential pitfalls. DCU has a complicated history, with a long line of failed attempts to build a shared cinematic universe and many different versions of iconic characters already existing.
The general public may find it challenging to understand the difference between the Elseworlds label and the DCU films, and the introduction of more and more versions of the same characters may only add to the confusion.
Additionally, there's no guarantee that the fanfare surrounding Gunn's version of Batman and other characters won't be disrupted by fans who prefer other versions.
Final thoughts
James Gunn must navigate these challenges and find a way to create a clear and cohesive vision for the DCU if he wants to be remembered as a visionary rather than just another footnote in the history of the DCU.
The future of DCU rests on his shoulders, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to rise to the occasion or succumb to the ghosts of past failed attempts.
