James Gunn is going to go R-rated whenever it’s needed in the DC Universe.
Gunn has confirmed that he is open to creating R-rated projects at DC Studios if the story calls for it.
As Gunn and Peter Safran continue to develop their vision for the DC Universe, they remain committed to taking bold risks with their storytelling.
In a recent interview, Gunn emphasized that he wouldn’t hold back to “wait and see” how a project performs, pointing to the success of 2021’s The Suicide Squad and the HBO series Peacemaker as evidence that audiences have responded positively to such ventures.
“We’re not about that. We’re not about ‘See how it does.’ We’ve got one opportunity to take these characters and really press forward and do what we believe,” Gunn told the Collider.
“I am a great believer that if we tell good, authentic stories, if a movie does well or doesn’t do as well, if you keep with that same philosophy, that you’re going to build a universe that people are going to love and want to be a part of for a long time.”
The movie maker continued, “It’s not about testing out to see if this thing works. It’s just about telling a story. If a story is going to be R-rated, we’re totally okay with that. If it’s going to be PG, PG-13, or G, I don’t care — whatever is worthy of the story, that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Superman director also revealed that he already has several R-rated projects at DC Studios, keeping in mind the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, saying “people love that character” and “people love that format.”
“You know Peacemaker is unrated, basically,” Gunn added. “So, we have all sorts. I like the idea of doing all sorts of different things.”