Gunn pushes back on crossover expectations
James Gunn went on Threads on Saturday to defend the DC Universe and his choice to broaden it through individual stories, responding to criticism that his films are not building toward a major crossover event. A commenter noted that Gunn does not necessarily have to establish the groundwork for one fully interconnected universe, and the DC Studios co-head replied that he agreed entirely.[S1]
Gunn described the DCU as an alternate universe in which creators can enter at any place or period and tell that particular story. He said he dislikes the notion that a standalone tale lacks meaning unless it leads somewhere else, and he called it strange that people do not grasp this, since Star Wars has effectively operated that way for half a century across movies, shows, games and books, though he conceded that franchise has offered less tonal variety.[S1][S4]
He stressed that this approach does not eliminate connectivity. The Superman saga, he said, starts with Superman and continues into Man of Tomorrow, and it features numerous characters already introduced elsewhere. Even so, he argued, those other stories do not exist merely to prepare for what happens there, and he said he would want audiences to see Clayface because it is a strong, entertaining horror film in its own right rather than because of where the character might appear three movies later.[S1]
Clayface opens at the top of the box office
The post Gunn answered followed an image cataloguing his DCU foundation, listing Superman, Peacemaker, Supergirl, Creature Commandos, Clayface and Lanterns, with a question asking what all of it was building toward. Clayface, which reached theaters on Friday, is Gunn's newest DCU entry after 2025's Superman and this year's Supergirl. Before release, comic readers noted that the character, who had never headlined a standalone feature, was a notably more obscure pick than earlier DCU films.[S1]
The film drew $24 million from 3,458 theaters in North America during its debut, taking the No. 1 spot with room to spare. Directed by James Watkins, it centers on the Batman villain, a rising movie star known as Matt Hagen, played by Tom Rhys Harries, who signs up for a highly experimental medical procedure after his face is badly disfigured. Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella and Eddie Marsan also appear.[S1]
Variety's Guy Lodge described the film as its own ugly animal, suggesting that the characters and conflicts it introduces might wear thin under franchise treatment but feel fresh and grimly enjoyable within a single genre-blending romp. Gunn's next film, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, is scheduled to reach theaters on July 9, 2027.[S1]
