James Gunn made his name in the superhero genre thanks to Marvel Studios with Guardians of the Galaxy, and now he’s been hired to co-head DC Studios with Peter Safran. With the third Guardians film teasing a return for Star-Lord, fans are wondering if Gunn will have a hand at working on that film, but as it turns out, he may not be allowed to.
When asked on Threads (via ComicBookMovie) if Gunn was going to work on the fourth Guardians or a Star-Lord movie, he replied with , “No I’m pure DC,” and when asked if he was ever going to write for Marvel again if he wanted to, Gunn said, “I could not either physically or legally.”
With big studios having exclusivity contracts with creatives, it would make sense that WB would want Gunn to stick to working on his DC Universe. Though it’s a shame that Gunn won’t be able to come back to his established franchise, it’s probably for the best because the pressure is on for Gunn to deliver a whole new DC Universe that’s coherent and as successful as Marvel’s movie franchise.
Though Gunn won’t be able to write, I do hope that there’s room for him to be a producer for the next Guardians movie. After all, that franchise is his baby, and it would be a shame if they just pushed forward without at least a little input from him.
Personally, I would love Edgar Wright to take over a new team of Guardians. He’s proven himself to be quite the ‘geeky director’ and he’s yet to put his hands on a huge sci-fi IP. Star Wars may be too strict for him, but I think GOTG could use his signature style and flair.
Plus, he gets to bury the hatchet with Marvel after what they did to him and Ant-Man.
A new Guardians film hasn’t been announced, but Gunn’s Superman: Legacy comes to theaters in 2025.
