James Gunn comments on DC's past: "They were just giving away IP"

James Gunn commented on DC's past in a press conference on Monday.

The newly appointed co-CEO of DC Studios explained his choices for the company's future going forward, citing several missteps in the past.

"The history of DC is pretty messed up. No one was minding the mint," Gunn said (H/T IndieWire). "They were just giving away IP like they were party favors to any creators who smiled at them. What we are going to do is promise that everything from our first project going forward is going to be unified."

Gunn reportedly listed the Arrowverse, both versions of the Justice League, and even his own works like Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad.

"The stakes are enormous. We took a brand that was somewhat in chaos, and it’s an opportunity to build an extraordinary standalone studio with the best IP and stories in the world," co-CEO Peter Safran said. "The opportunity to do that functionally from scratch and without limitations — the stakes are enormous."

"People have become beholden to dates, to getting movies made no matter what," Gunn continued, possibly referring to the MCU's roll-out of set dates for each phase of movies and shows. "I am a writer at my heart, and we are not going to be making movies before the screenplay is finished, and if that means our plan is going to shift a little bit, it’s going to happen."

Safran and Gunn announced a new iteration of Batman and Robin, Superman, Supergirl, Green Lantern, a series dedicated entirely to Peacemaker's Amanda Waller, and a plethora of other projects which are set to kick off after The Flash 'resets' the DC universe this summer. The full list includes Paradise Lost, Booster Gold. Creature Commandos, Swamp Thing, and The Authority.

"We’re not going to be making movies and putting hundreds of millions of dollars into a film where a screenplay is only two-thirds of the way done and we have to finish it while we’re making the movie. I’ve seen it happen again and again, and it’s a mess. And I think it’s the primary reason in the deterioration of quality of films today versus 20-30 years ago."

DC is planning to release "probably two movies and probably two HBO Max series per year," with Safran sharing that this will begin in 2025 with Superman: Legacy kicking things off. The movie is being written by Gunn and will focus on the push and pull between Superman’s Kryptonian heritage and his human upbringing. TV-wise, it's expected that the animated Creature Commandos will hit HBO first.
For more, check out our roundup of every new movie and show confirmed by James Gunn and DC Studios.