James Gunn Pushes Back on Fans Who Want Every DCU Story to Build Toward a Crossover

James Gunn has challenged the idea that every project in the DC Universe must set up a later installment, arguing that films and series should be able to stand on their own. The DC Studios co-CEO shared his view after an online commenter questioned what the franchise’s recent and upcoming projects were building toward. The commenter listed “Superman,” “Peacemaker,” “Supergirl,” animated series “Creature Commandos,” “Clayface” and “Lanterns,” then asked what the projects were leading to. Gunn reposted the exchange on Threads and agreed with a reply suggesting that the individual stories could work independently rather than serving only as steps toward a larger event. “DCU is just an alternate universe; we can enter at any location or time and tell THAT story,” Gunn wrote. He said he dislikes the expectation that individual stories have no meaning unless they lead to something else. To make his point, he cited “Star Wars,” saying the franchise had spent decades telling stories across films, television, games and books without every title functioning as a setup for another. Gunn also acknowledged that connections exist within his own plans. He said the Superman Saga begins with “Superman” and continues with next year’s “Man of Tomorrow,” incorporating characters introduced in other stories. But, he argued, that does not mean those earlier projects exist solely to prepare audiences for the next chapter. His comments came as “Clayface,” described in the article as a horror movie, arrived in theaters. Gunn said he hoped people would watch it because it works as an enjoyable film in its own right, rather than mainly to find clues about where the character might appear several movies later. The response offered a clear explanation of how he wants viewers to approach the growing DCU: continuity can be present, but it should not be the only reason a story matters.