James Gunn Wants To Connect The DCU ‘Across Film And TV,’ Which Could Mean… A Lot Of Things

As James Gunn begins his tenure as the new co-CEO of DC Studios, the writer/director is continuing to be an open book when it comes to fielding fan questions on Twitter even while he’s busy promoting his second-to-last project for Marvel, The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Over the holiday weekend, Gunn took some time to tease what he has in store for the DCU, which is apparently what we’re calling it now. RIP DCEU.

When asked if he and co-CEO Peter Safran are “planning to give more DC character tv shows that’ll add to the story for the DCEU,” Gunn made a pretty bold promise.

“Yes, most definitely,” Gunn tweeted. “The DCU will be connected across film and TV (and animation).”

That answer does cement Gunn and Safran’s recent promise that the DCU will deliver “one great overarching story” over the next 10 years and across several mediums including “film, television, gaming, live-action, and animation.” However, that is way easier said than done. To chagrin of Warner Bros. Discovery’s new CEO, DC Comics’ creative output has been wildly fragmented. The majority of its properties includes separate universes, and it will require some pretty sweeping changes to bring them altogether. It doesn’t seem like Gunn is ready to provide answers on that front.

Seeking a clarification, one user asked, “Will there still be some standalone animation or live-action shows that take place in separate worlds (like Harley Quinn)?” to which Gunn replied, “Yes, some.”

He had the same answer for DC’s fan-favorite slate of animated movies, which have existed in their own continuity. There was already a recent reboot in that realm, and it appears there may be another one coming down the road.

However, when it came to video games being directly connected to the DCU, Gunn gave a firm “yes.”

As for what all of this means, it’s hard to say at this point. Clearly, Warner Bros. Discovery wants a more connected cinematic universe like Marvel and has openly said as much. Gunn and Safran seemed poised to deliver on that front, but that could also involve making some sweeping changes like no longer allowing the animated projects to operate in their own universe. (Harley Quinn appears to be safe because, well, it’s freaking Harley Quinn.)

There’s also the issue of ongoing shows like The Flash, Titans, and Doom Patrol, which have all operated independently of each other. The Flash is already nearing its endpoints, but will Gunn’s plans involve winding those series down for more connected projects like Peacemaker?

Finally, there’s the elephant in the room: The Batman. The Robert Pattinson film and its planned spinoffs have also been operating in a separate universe, but will that be the case going forward? As the DCU goes for a more streamlined experience, will Battinson be left alone or will he have to shoulder being the Dark Knight to a wider franchise? It’ll be interesting to see as Gunn and Safran get ready to unveil their ambitious plans over the next few months.

(Via James Gunn on Twitter)