James Gunn says DCU is an 'alternate universe,' compares it to Star Wars

James Gunn is setting the record straight on what to expect from his DC Universe. In a Threads conversation, per MovieWeb, Gunn weighed in on fan questions about whether the studio's slate of movies and shows is all building toward a major event.

Gunn said he "couldn't agree more" with a fan's take that individual projects should be entertaining first and crossovers should be a bonus. He expressed confusion over "people not understanding this."

The DC boss then compared his vision for the DCU to the Star Wars franchise. He noted that Star Wars has told stories across its universe for decades, often without culminating in massive crossover events and with "admittedly without the tonal variety."

Gunn clarified that this doesn't mean there won't be connectivity. He pointed to the upcoming film "Man of Tomorrow" as an example, which will feature characters introduced in other projects like "Lanterns," "Peacemaker," and "Blue Beetle."

However, he emphasized that stories should be meaningful on their own. He stated he'd want people to see a hypothetical "Clayface" movie because it's a great horror film, not because the character might appear elsewhere later.

"Man of Tomorrow" is scheduled for release on July 9, 2027. MovieWeb notes there is no word yet on any planned Avengers-style crossover event for the DCU.