Mark Ruffalo believes that Marvel Studios should be wary of James Gunn’s new DC Universe. Gunn previously directed Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy, which will wrap up with “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in May. However, Gunn was briefly fired by Disney, the parent company of Marvel, due to controversial tweets from the past. After being reinstated by Disney, Gunn signed on to direct DC’s “The Suicide Squad,” which led to him becoming one of the co-CEOs of DC Studios.
During his appearance at Emerald City Comic-Con (via The Direct), Ruffalo commented on the impact of James Gunn’s DC Universe reboot on Marvel’s MCU. When asked for his advice to DC as they transition from the old DCEU to the new DC Universe, Ruffalo responded, “Marvel should be sweating” about Gunn’s vision for DC’s future. Ruffalo’s statement reflects the level of trust he has in Gunn’s abilities, which could potentially help DC’s new universe compete with the MCU in the near future. Here’s the complete quote:
I would say, hire James Gunn, cause nobody does it better. And Marvel should be sweating because James Gunn is a really gifted filmmaker and I think he’s going to be amazing for that franchise.
James Gunn’s DC Universe could pose a threat to the MCU
The current phase of the MCU, Phase 4, has been uneven, which stands in contrast to the excitement surrounding the debut of James Gunn’s DC Universe in Chapter One. Marvel is facing a challenging period, as evidenced by the underperformance of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania at the box office, which introduced the new Big Bad Kang the Conqueror, and is projected to be the lowest-grossing Ant-Man movie. Meanwhile, unveiling the first projects in Gunn’s DC Universe has garnered enthusiastic acclaim.
The timing of Marvel’s recent slump in box office revenue and negative reviews from critics could not be worse, as the new management of DC embarks on a transparent effort to address the shortcomings of the old DCEU and regain audience support. James Gunn, with his expertise in creating cosmic-themed movies, is the ideal person to lead this effort. While he was once on track to develop Marvel’s cosmic side beyond his work on Guardians of the Galaxy, his firing from the studio derailed those plans. Nevertheless, Gunn can now leverage his talents to establish a thriving cosmic corner within DC.
Gunn’s keen grasp of both comics and audience preferences has made him adept at creating successful movies, whether for Marvel or DC. He is ideally positioned to help the DC Universe become a legitimate contender to the MCU. With new Superman and Batman reboots on the horizon, as well as the current struggles of the MCU, Gunn could propel DC to box-office supremacy. His involvement in the new DCU also suggests that the long-standing debate between Marvel and DC, which began with the old DCEU, may finally be resolved in favor of a truly exciting new era for the DC Universe.
