James Gunn, who will take over as co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran on November 1, does not see his new role as a rival to Marvel Studios. Recently, the director used social media to dispel any rumours of competition between the two comic book studios. Gunn, who collaborated with Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige on three “Guardians of the Galaxy” motion pictures and one “Guardians” television special, even expressed his admiration for Feige.

Gunn wrote on Twitter, “Not only do I love Kevin, he was the 1st person I told after I did the deal with DC (@JohnCena was the 2nd). Contrary to popular belief, a dollar less for Marvel is not a dollar more for DC. DC & Marvel have the common goal of keeping the theater-going experience vibrant & alive!”  

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Feige expresses support for Gunn

In response to the news of Gunn’s hiring by DC Studios, Feige also expressed his support for him. “Well, he has got a lot of work to do for Marvel between now and May, which he’s well aware of. But after that, I’ll be first in line to see anything he does,” Feige told Deadline on the red carpet at this week’s “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” world premiere. The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special premieres on Disney Plus on November 25, and Gunn’s trilogy-ending “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3” hits theatres on May 5, 2023. Gunn’s DC role begins on November 1, but he still has two Marvel projects in the works.

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Gunn and Safran will oversee film, television, and animation at DC Studios in their new roles, and they will report to David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. They will also collaborate closely with Warner Bros. Film Group co-chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy. Both are anticipated to carry on working on other projects outside of Washington, DC. When the news was revealed, Gunn and Safran released a joint statement saying, “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children. We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved.”