James Gunnhas asserted that the newDCUis not like theMCU, even though fans often compare the franchises to one another. After all, the two universes both have well-established superhero bases, shared storytelling elements, and long-term release strategies, but the DC Studios co-head hasdoubled down on his opinionthat they are not as similar as people think. He explained how the DCU differs from the MCU, while also likening his and Peter Safran’s soft reboot of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) toGame of ThronesandStar Wars.
In contrast to Marvel Studios, which uses the term Phases, DC Studios is calling its connected plans Chapters. Chapter One,subtitled “Gods and Monsters,“launched in December 2024 with the release of the animated seriesCreature Commandos.This year’sSupermanwas the first feature film on the slate and served as a cinematic reboot for the Man of Steel, with David Corenswet portraying the titular hero. Gunn toldInterview Magazinethat world-building is one of the most exciting parts of the job, but it is very different to how the MCU was crafted:
“I think it’s the reason I agreed to the job. You talk about George R.R. Martin, and he is really one of the guys who I love and look up to. I’m an enormous fan of his and people say, ‘Oh, the DCU is doing what MCU is.’ But I think it really is a lot more to me what theGame of Thronesworld is like or whatStar Warsis like, because we’re building a universe and then picking out little pieces of it and telling individual stories from that universe.”
Gunn further noted how the DCU differentiates from other existing cinematic universes, stating that the stories take place on a unique map that houses different factions:
“There is not a New York City in our DCU. There is not a Los Angeles in our DCU. There is Metropolis, Evergreen, and Coast City. It’s a different map. It’s a world in which some form of superheroes, which we call Metahumans, have existed for at least 300 years, and they’ve been a part of our life. But I think that we’re reaching a point in the DCU where there’s three factions. There’s the Metahumans, the governments, and then the corporations. And the corporations are equally important. There’s Luthor Corp, there’s Lord Tech and Stagg Industries and Wayne Enterprises, which are the four big companies that are vying for another type of domination.”
Fans Weigh in on the DCU vs. MCU Debate
As a filmmaker who was originally ushered into the superhero genre under Marvel Studios, Gunn is seemingly keen to separate the DCU from the MCU rather than have comparisons drawn between the franchises. One way the two differ is that DC Studios has a line-up of diverse projects that aim to"tell a bunch of different stories"rather than dedicating itself to a single cinematic timeline. Several fans have embraced this method, noting that they don’t have to do “as much homework” for the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.
“Honestly, this is way better for longevity, enjoyability, and way more audience-friendly. This way, there’s not a natural ‘end’ to it likeEndgamewas, and you don’t have to do as much homework to watch a movie,” one person wroteon Reddit. Another concurred,writing: “That’s the beauty of the chapters like gods and monsters. There is no canon start or finish, simply watch whatever you want to watch. If you want to skip CC to watchSupermanyou can, if you want to watchLanternsbut haven’t seenSupermanyou could also do that.”
A third person noted the benefits of the DCU’s approach,saying: “As much as I love theIron MantoEndgamearc, some movies definitely suffered because they had to shoehorn in elements to fit this story. And the MCU feels trapped now inside this convulted timeline.”
While Redditors seemed to largely be in agreement that there is a notable contrast between the DCU and the MCU, those on X/Twitter were less convinced by the argument. “Bro said they’re different then listed how they’re identical,“one person wrotein response to Gunn’s recent remarks. A secondchimed in: “Building a universe and telling individual stories from it is literally what the MCU is,” whileanother quizzed, “Soooo not much different at all?”
Much to everyone’s surprise,Supermanlanded on digital platforms, more or less a month after the film opened in theaters. Thereason behind its speedy releasehad some fans concerned that Gunn had already betrayed his plans for the DCU. Namely, that it would differentiate itself from the MCU by making each project standalone and thus not requiring any “homework.” No doubt all will become clear as more projects get released, starting withPeacemakerSeason 2 in August, followed byLanterns,Supergirl,andClayfacenext year.
