James Gunn Dismisses Marvel-DC Rivalry Before His DC Takeover: 'I Love Kevin Feige' and We Have the Same 'Common Goal'

James Gunn will become co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios with Peter Safran starting in November. 1, but the director doesn't see his new work as a rival to Marvel Studios in any way. The filmmaker recently took to social media to put an end to any notion of a rivalry between the two comic studios. Gunn even shared his admiration for Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, with whom he worked on three "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies and a "Guardians" special.

"Not only do I love Kevin [Feige], but he was the first person I I said after I did the deal with DC (John Cena was second)," Gunn wrote to fans. "Contrary to popular belief, a dollar less for Marvel is not a dollar more for DC. DC and Marvel have a common goal to keep the theatrical experience vibrant and alive!"

Feige also expressed his support for Gunn following the news that he was hiring DC Studios. last. On the red carpet this week at the world premiere of 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,' Feige told Deadline, "Well, he's got a lot of work to do for Marvel between now and May, which he's well aware of. . But after that, I'll be on the front line to see what he does."

Gunn's DC role begins November 1, but he still has two Marvel projects in the works: “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” debuts November 25 on Disney+, while its trilogy ending “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” hits theaters May 5, 2023.

In their new roles, Gunn and Safran will oversee film, television and animation at DC Studios and will report to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, David Zaslav. They will also work closely with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, co-presidents and CEOs of Warner Bros. Movie Group. The two are also expected to continue working on other projects outside of DC.

"We're honored to be guardians of these DC characters we've loved since we were children," Gunn and Safran said in a joint statement upon breaking the news. "We look forward to collaborating with the world's most talented writers, directors and actors to create an integrated, multi-layered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved."

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