James Gunn is now the co-CEO of DC Studios and one of the architects of the DC Universe, but long before taking on this role, or directing the Guardians of the Galaxy films, he was celebrated in the low- and mid-budget horror sphere. Always known as a filmmaker with style, James Gunn’s needle drops have been common in his projects, and so has his violent brutality. While elements of these have even shown up in his superhero fare, it is Gunn’s violent cinematic past that makes me most excited about this new DC project.
The new franchise is still finding its way and its voice, but there have already been so many different and compelling DC Universe movies and shows announced. From Superman to Sgt. Rock, the new studio is working to create a filmmaker-friendly universe that will be able to contain diverse tones and stories of all kinds. One of the most unique among these was not announced as part of the original slate, but it has since become a priority for the studio, and I am so excited to see how it turns out.
James Gunn’s Horror Movie History Is Often Overlooked In Comparison To His Superhero Films
The Filmmaker First Worked As A Writer And Director In The Horror Sphere
James Gunn is working to develop the greatest heroes in cinema, but before making his much higher-grossing superhero films, the director cut his teeth on the horror genre. He began by writing for low-budget films like Tromeo and Juliet before working on films like the horror-adjacent children’s movie, Scooby-Doo, and Dawn of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. Following this work, he made his feature directorial debut with Slither, a disturbing horror comedy that featured many performers he has continued to work with to this day.
While the box office for films like Guardians 3 is another realm entirely from the success he enjoyed in horror, these projects clearly show that Gunn’s interests are not only in comics. The filmmaker has shown skill at integrating horrific elements into his superhero fare, with some truly disturbing images making their way into the Guardians movies, and even into The Suicide Squad. Finding these tonal balances is an impressive feat, and speaks well to DC Studios’ next big horror film.
James Gunn’s Comments About The DC Universe’s Clayface Movie Make It Even More Exciting
The Director Is Excited To Be Involved In Another Horror Project
James Gunn recently spoke about the future of the DC Universe during a press event at the WB Lot, and a number of details were revealed about all sorts of projects in the franchise, including Clayface. The new film was written by Mike Flanagan, the filmmaker behind The Haunting of Hill House and Doctor Sleep, and James Watkins is currently rumored to be directing the picture. During this event, Gunn opened up about his excitement for the project, confirming that it was a priority for the studio, and moving forward for a 2026 release.
Gunn worked with his co-CEO Peter Safran on a 2016 horror film called The Belko Experiment, and spoke about how excited they would have been to receive this Clayface script at that time. “We would have died to have produced this movie because it was just a really excellent body horror script,” he said. The project then seems to be something that he found very compelling on its own merits, conceding that “the fact that it’s in the DCU is just a plus.” Coming from such an accomplished horror filmmaker, this is an excellent testament to the script’s quality.
The DCU’s Clayface Movie Helps To Keep A Major Franchise Promise Alive
The DC Universe Is Set To Feature Different Tones And Styles
This movement on the Clayface film is a testament to what Gunn has previously opened up about the DC Universe, and how it will be filled with different styles and tones. Gunn has opened up about the DCU’s future and how each project will feel distinct. Speaking with MovieZine during the promotion of Creature Commandos, Gunn reflected on this, and how even Peacemaker and Superman have such incredibly diverse tones. The director gave a great deal of detail concerning his outlook, and it speaks well to his excitement and pᴀssion for the universe.
Everything’s going to be totally different. One of the things I love about DC Comics is that they’ve always been able to tell different stories in different ways. They’ve told stories that were more family-orientated, stories that were more adult-orientated, dark stories, light stories. I think for us, we just want to tell a bunch of different stories. A lot of those different stories are going to be in the DCU. We have something that’s relatively serious, like Superman, and then something that’s relatively comedic, like Peacemaker, all in the same universe. Something very adult like Peacemaker [and] something pretty family-friendly like Superman.
It is exciting to see that the studio is moving forward so soon with a movie that seems so strange and different. Adding in the franchise’s plans for a unique war movie with Sgt. Rock, and it seems that the DCU’s promise of an interconnected universe where all the films don’t have to feel even similar is actually happening. This sounds like an incredibly difficult task, but it is also so exciting. It will remain to be seen if this plan can even work, but either way, I applaud the studio for trying.
DC as a brand has had all kinds of different projects over the years. Films like Joker have been incredibly distinct from movies like Shazam!, and yet both have worked in their own ways. However, these weren’t set in the same universe. What remains to be seen is how a body horror movie like Clayface might fit in alongside other distinct tones in the same continuity. Either way, with James Gunn’s horror background, and all the resources of Warner Bros. at their disposal, I can’t wait to see the shape that the DCU finds in the forthcoming years.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
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Superman
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July 11, 2025
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Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow
- Release Date
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June 26, 2026
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The Batman Part II
- Release Date
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October 1, 2027
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