Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery director Rian Johnson revealed that, while he has a lot of respect for creatives who can work in large-scope producing, jobs like James Gunn's new role at DC aren't for him.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Johnson gave his thoughts on Gunn's new job as the creative head of DC Studios and said that "being a suit" didn't appeal to him. "No. Not at all," the director said. Johnson also shared that the people able to do those kinds of jobs impressed him, but he definitely was not one of them.
"God bless him," he said. "I respect people who do it -- Pete Docter stepping up at Pixar or what J.J. Abrams does with producing. There are people who can engage creatively on that level and find it rewarding. I don’t have that." Johnson added that he's looking forward to what Gunn will do with the position, saying "But it’s cool to see, and it’s exciting to me for a filmmaker like James Gunn to be in that position."
Johnson is far from the first person to express excitement for the new era Gunn and Peter Safran will be spearheading as the new co-chairs and co-heads of DC Studios. As well as actors such as Todd Stashwick and Johnathon Schaech publicly pitching roles for themselves to Gunn, Aquaman star Jason Momoa recently shared how excited he is for what Gunn will be doing with the studio. "There's a lot of cool things that are going to be coming up and one of my dreams come true will be happening under their watch so stay tuned," Momoa said.
Fans are also turning to Gunn as a potential savior for both a beloved canceled series and the never-seen director's version of the critically panned Suicide Squad (2016). Following the announcement of his new position, the hashtags #SaveLegendsofTomorrow and #ReleaseTheAyerCut began trending on Twitter and reached Gunn's attention. DC's Legends of Tomorrow was canceled after seven seasons on The CW, despite ending on a cliffhanger. It is one of several Arrowverse shows to see cancellation in 2022, including Batwoman, The Flash, and Stargirl. The campaign for David Ayer's director's cut of Suicide Squad had been gaining support since the release of Zach Snyder's Justice League.
Gunn and Safran's Plans for the DC Universe
Gunn and Safran were announced as the new co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, which is replacing DC Films, in October 2022. Through their new roles, the two will develop long-term plans for a unified series of movies, television shows, and animation projects across the DC Universe. Safran will manage the business side of the studio, while Gunn has creative control.
Directed by Johnson, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery will have a one-week limited theatrical release starting Nov. 23, one month ahead of its arrival on Netflix on Dec. 23.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter