Ever since James Gunn was named co-chairman and chief executive officer at DC Studios, some major changes have taken place. Naturally, most of them irked fans and it seems Gunn has been quite active when it comes to setting records straight among the fanbase.
Other than ditching Henry Cavill as Superman, the other biggest property in the headlines is Wonder Woman 3, which James Gunn, Peter Safran and DC removed from the calendar. When one fan posted to social media that James Gunn kicking Cavill and Gal Gadot to the curb from DC “doesn’t inspire confidence”, Gunn replied, “I’m not sure where you’re getting that we ‘booted’ Gal.” One way to read this is, yes, they booted Henry Cavill but that doesn’t mean Gal Gadot went out the same way.
This week, James Gunn also took to Twitter to address the criticism he and Safran have been getting from the DC fanbase. He concluded his posts with a signal of hope for the studio. “We were aware there would be a period of turbulence when we took this gig, & we knew we would sometimes have to make difficult & not-so-obvious choices, especially in the wake of the fractious nature of what came before us…But this means little to us in comparison to our jobs as artists & custodians in helping to create a wide & wonderful future for DC.”
But it’s not just fans that are criticizing Gunn over recent actions. Actor Ray Fisher–who played Victor Stone/Cyborg in DC’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League–went after James Gunn for “fake grace on Twitter”, concluding his post with, “Refusing to apologize for toxic behavior seems to be a job requirement for WB/DC”. Gunn responded with the straight facts: “ALL my tweets automatically delete every few months, Ray, it has nothing to do with my tweets to you.”
James Gunn has DC on the brain but will officially conclude his tenure at Marvel Studios next year with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
How do you think James Gunn is doing handling online criticism from the DC fanbase? Is it doing any damage control or is it a waste of his time, knowing it will be constant? Let us know your thoughts below!