James Gunn Was ‘Hesitant’ To Direct Superman: Legacy

James Gunn has announced that he’ll be directing DC Studios’ Superman: Legacy, but he admits to being “hesitant” to take the helm. Ever since he announced that he was writing the new Superman film, many wondered if he would take the lead to direct.

Even his co-CEO partner Peter Safran tried to convince him, but he declined and told many that he hadn’t decided who would direct the film. He has directed DCEU films before, and he is known for his Peacemaker HBO series, which was quite successful for the network.

That show was a spin-off from another DCEU he made, The Suicide Squad. While the movie had better praise than David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, Gunn’s film is considered a box office flop. While this might be the main reason why he was hesitant to direct Superman: Legacy, I do think that this has come to mind. He doesn’t want to fail DC Studios, Warner Bros, and the fans. He is already getting a lot of scrutiny for making tough decisions in building the new DC Universe.

James Gunn Was ‘Hesitant’ To Direct the New Superman for DC Studios

READ MORE: James Gunn Has Almost Finished Superman Legacy’s Script

James Gunn recently posted on social media like Facebook and Twitter that he will be directing the first film under his leadership at DC Studios, Superman: Legacy. He also revealed that the release date of the film is the same date as his father’s birthday, which seems to have pushed him to actually make the film himself.

He also said that he was offered to make a Superman film years before he was offered to be the DC Studios head. He said:

It has been a long road to this point. I was offered Superman years ago – I initially said no because I didn’t have a way in that felt unique and fun and emotional that gave Superman the dignity he deserved.

Making a Superman film is not going to be easy. Superman is not just a superhero, but a symbol of what is good and just. Even though there have been a few films about the Man of Steel. But many still have high regard for Richard Donner’s 1978 film.

James Gunn is in a challenging position. Everyone is looking at whatever he does as the leader of DC Studios. Anything he works on will be scrutinized more so than any filmmaker who has worked on any DC film. Not a lot of people were happy with Henry Cavill’s exit, nor are they happy with the DCEU reboot. Some are even calling that the SnyderVerse should be restored instead of his take.

Gunn has also said in the post:

So I chose to finally take on writing the script. But I was hesitant to direct, despite the constant pestering by Peter Safran and others to commit (sorry, Peter).

Just because I write something doesn’t mean I feel it in my bones, visually and emotionally, enough to spend over two years directing it, especially not something of this magnitude.

We can’t help but get the impression that Gunn feels like he’s forced into something that he’s not comfortable with. He has a lot on his plate already; he is still working on the Waller series and Peacemaker season 2. This could already put a strain on those projects too.

But, the long and the short of it is, I love this script, and I’m incredibly excited as we begin this journey. #UpUpandAway

We do hope that he is happy to work on the film. I have loved his work ever since I saw Slither back in 2006. I looked forward to watching Gunn’s films. Hopefully, he will enjoy working on Superman, because that will just result in a better movie.

James Gunn is under a microscope by fans as he directs Superman: Legacy

Credit: DC Comics

READ MORE: James Gunn’s Superman Legacy Will Start The New DCU

James Gunn directing Superman: Legacy is a big step, especially for a guy who two years ago was originally planning to take a break from directing after Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Also, the new DC Universe is under Gunn’s vision.

It needs a baseline on what the others will follow. It’s pretty much like when Zack Snyder made Man of Steel. All the films that followed Man Of Steel had that same tone and style. Even Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam followed suit. This can be overwhelming.

Then again, Gunn wants to encourage directors to give it their own take while following the main narrative for the new DC Universe. So, maybe Gunn doesn’t want his film to be the basis for all the new DCU films; he could just make Superman: Legacy his own personal take on the Man of Steel.

What do you think of James Gunn directing Superman: Legacy? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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