James Gunn Opens Up on Leaving Marvel, Disney Fallout, and Embracing Superman in the DCU
From Guardians to Gods and Monsters—Gunn reflects on his Marvel exit, Disney drama, and why taking on DC’s Superman felt like destiny, not betrayal.
As James Gunn ushers in a bold new era with Superman, the flagship film of his rebooted DC Universe, the filmmaker is candid about how he navigated the turbulent journey from Marvel Studios to DC.
Appearing on the Armchair Expert podcast, Gunn revisited the emotional aftermath of his 2018 firing from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which had temporarily derailed his trajectory within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “At the time, I genuinely thought my career was done,” Gunn admitted.
Fortunately, fate had other plans. Warner Bros. executive Toby Emmerich approached Gunn with a proposition. “He said, ‘James Gunn’s Superman?’ and I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ Then he asked, ‘What about Suicide Squad?’ That clicked. I developed a pitch, they loved it, and we moved forward,” Gunn recalled.
Ironically, that very same day, Disney began efforts to bring him back. Gunn revealed that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige—his longtime friend and collaborator—personally lobbied for his reinstatement. “I went over to Kevin’s house. He has this basement full of Star Wars collectibles—it’s like a tiny museum,” Gunn shared. “He told me, ‘This is amazing.’ But I had already committed to something else. And I just remembered—he said, ‘Ugh, are you doing Superman?’”
Though it wasn’t Superman just yet—Gunn first directed 2021’s The Suicide Squad for DC—his full-circle moment would come soon after. He returned briefly to complete Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), but by then, his path was firmly leading toward DC.
Asked whether he struggled with loyalty issues between Marvel and DC, Gunn was unequivocal. “No, not at all,” he said. “I got fired. I didn’t betray anyone. I took a job with people I really liked. Kevin and [Marvel Studios co-president] Louis D’Esposito were nothing but supportive. Lou called me constantly during that period.”
Gunn emphasized that his issue was never with Marvel, but with certain individuals at Disney’s corporate level. “There were people I wasn’t happy with over there, but they weren’t at Marvel,” he clarified.
Now co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, Gunn is officially launching his vision of the DCU with Superman, slated for release on July 11, 2025. The film kicks off the “Gods and Monsters” phase and features David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, and Nicholas Hoult taking on the role of Lex Luthor. The star-studded ensemble also includes María Gabriela de Faría, Skyler Gisondo, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion, and more.
With his Marvel chapter now closed (at least for the foreseeable future), Gunn’s future seems laser-focused on reshaping the DC mythos from the ground up—starting with Earth’s most iconic hero.
