One person’s loss is another person’s gain, or in this case, one cinematic universe’s weird firing is another’s chance at redemption. Yes, there was a lot weirdness when Disney decided to fire director/writer James Gunn after the resurfacing of some unsavory tweets resurfaced. And while there were murmurs that maybe he’d be coming back, the split was final. Still, it was a win for Warner Bros. because now they’ve snag him.
That’s right, according to io9, James Gunn is working for the DCEU now, and will be writing the script for the next Suicide Squad movie. Yes, I know that seems like a daunting prospect, but it looks like he’s going to be taking it in a new direction and creating a sequel more in name than in concept. We don’t have a lot more information on the project, except that it will produced by Peter Safran, who has served as a producer for the Conjuring universe of films as well as the upcoming Aquaman and Shazam!.
While Gunn is currently only confirmed to be writing the script, it’s not a stretch to think that he might also be directing. If he were to take the reigns, it could both elevate the project and the DCEU as a whole. It’s not secret that outside of Wonder Woman, the reception to most of the live-action DC films has been bleak. The first Suicide Squad, directed by David Ayers, definitely felt like it was trying to be a critter version of Guardians of the Galaxy, so it is conceivable that Gunn is the right guy to turn property around and make it the fun, violent romp we all wanted.
Still, there’s a long way to go before we know how this weird story ends, but if Warner Bros. and Gunn play their cards right, this could royally blow up in Disney’s face and finally make the DCEU the rival to the MCU fans have long hoped it would be.
