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DC Studios boss James Gunn doesn’t want to be the next Kevin Feige - and he originally turned down the job
The Superman director loves to make "big spectacle" movies, but how can he balance that with his role as the head of DC Studios? That seems to be what even he's wondering
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James Gunn has delivered what Warner Bros has been looking for from their newly-formed DC Studios: a box office hit to eclipse Marvel’s offerings for the year. While Superman soared high at the box office, James Gunn already seems unsure about how sustainable his position as both director and studio head is. He never wanted to do what Kevin Feige does, after all.
It is important to remember that most people in James Gunn’s position – head of a movie studio – don’t typically continue to direct movies at the same time. “I don’t think it’s ever really been done,” Gunn said in a recent interview. “Even Walt Disney was more of a producer than a director. It’s an experiment. And yes, sometimes it probably sounds like madness – especially since I don’t make the most conventional films. But I love big spectacle. That’s my jam.”
Gunn’s commitment to making “big spectacle” movies meant he wasn’t initially interested in taking on the DC Studios job. “I originally said no to the job. I didn’t want to do what [Marvel Studios’ boss] Kevin Feige does. But once Peter [Safran] and I realized we’d be doing it together, it became exciting. I still don’t know if it’s sustainable long-term. It’s a lot. There just aren’t enough hours in the day.”
That last comment is particularly interesting as it hints that James Gunn doesn’t see himself being able to steer DC Studios while also directing films like Superman. We already know that he’s hard at work planning a Superman sequel titled Man of Tomorrow, but will this be the last film he heads up as director? Or is his love of creating big spectacle films enough to make him step back as head of DC Studios? That’s the question he appears to be asking himself.
Superman is streaming on HBO Max now; the next DC Studios release, Supergirl, is in theaters June 26, 2026.
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