James Gunn Shares Thoughts on ‘Watchmen’ Reboot Happening in the DCU

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As a lifelong comic book enthusiast who’s seen more than my fair share of reboots and adaptations, I must say that James Gunn‘s stance on Watchmen is a breath of fresh air. While I do hold Alan Moore’s work in high regard, I’ve always felt the story was best left untouched, especially after the mixed reactions to the 2009 film.

James Gunn, who is currently promoting the DC Universe’s Creature Commandos, was unexpectedly asked about another superhero title in a recent interview. When questioned about potential plans for reimagining Watchmen within the DCU, Gunn expressed some thoughts before addressing the podcast host, Josh Horowitz. In response to this query, the co-CEO and co-chair of DC Studios, as reported by Happy Sad Confused, provided an answer.

As for Watchmen, I must confess it’s not something I’m familiar with. However, I hold immense admiration for the author, Alan Moore. Indeed, my respect for him runs deep. Yet, contrary to my appreciation for his work, I found myself quite captivated by the TV series adaptation.

Back in the ’80s, Moore penned the groundbreaking Watchmen stories that graced our comic book shelves in 1986 and 1987. Those seminal issues were beautifully illustrated by Dave Gibbons and colorfully brought to life by John Higgins. It seemed like Gunn wasn’t exactly smitten with the 2009 film adaptation, which featured an all-star cast including Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Patrick Wilson. The movie was released to a mix of decent and not-so-outstanding responses: Tomatometer (65%), Popcornmeter (71%), and “B” CinemaScore.

Previously, a Watchmen miniseries and animated movies were released, and more recently, but it appears Gunn isn’t keen on developing further stories about the characters created by Moore. In an interview, he referenced Watchmen as a great example of Elseworlds storytelling, stating: “Watchmen… that’s a tale DC Comics told outside its regular continuity.” Based on his remarks, it seems unlikely we’ll encounter Dr. Manhattan or Eddie Blake’s Comedian in the DC Universe for some time.

James Gunn Isn’t Straying Away From DC’s Other Characters

It’s possible that James Gunn doesn’t have plans or desire to incorporate Watchmen into the DC Universe, but he’s definitely not avoiding characters beyond the trio of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing they won’t be subjected to yet another origin story for Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne. Instead, Gunn has more leeway to delve into lesser-known characters from the comics, such as Swamp Thing. In a post on his Threads account, Gunn expressed this sentiment.

“I won’t retell Batman and Superman’s origin tales as everyone is already familiar with them. Also, please don’t relegate Swamp Thing to the sidelines; he’s currently under development for a project we’ve announced, and his fame stems from not just iconic comics but also successful films and his own TV series. This is true of only a select few DC characters.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can hardly contain my excitement! At last, Booster Gold is set to receive the recognition he truly deserves with his own Max series in live-action. And just wait, not one, but three iterations of Batman’s Robins – Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Damian Wayne – will be given their due attention. The animated Dynamic Duo project in 2028 promises to shine a spotlight on these characters, while the live-action Brave and the Bold movie will undoubtedly bring them to life in an extraordinary way!

Not only that, but the iconic Green Lantern characters Hal Jordan and John Stewart, cherished from the comics, are likely to win over fans with their crime drama-style HBO Original series titled “Lanterns”. Meanwhile, DC enthusiasts can currently stream the first two episodes of “Creature Commandos” on Max, with new episodes arriving every Thursday until January 9th, 2025, on this streaming platform.

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2024-12-07 20:03