MUMBAI: Filmmaker James Gunn has reflected on his four-year stint as co-head of DC Studios, calling it a dream come true but also saying the job was challenging.
In an emotional Instagram post, Gunn said he was “incredibly relieved and excited” to return to pure filmmaking, and he thanked his colleagues, collaborators, and fans.
In the note, Gunn wrote: “Oh, boy. What a four years! Thanks to all of you who have supported me and Peter during our time as the heads of DC Studios. When I was a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, I used to write and draw my own comics with a mix of DC Comics characters and my own characters.”
He added: Having full access to these characters to do whatever we wanted has been a dream come true. I didn't know if I wanted this job when it was offered to me, but I just couldn't pass up the unique opportunity. I'm glad I took the job.”
The filmmaker counted the highs he has had along the way.
“There have been so many highs along the way — releasing Superman and Clayface, making Peacemaker, reading the scripts to The People Vs, and the entire process of Man of Tomorrow, which thus far has been the best filmmaking experience of my life, along with numerous other moments.”
The highest of the highs have been all the talented and wonderful people he has worked and grown with, said Gunn.
“The DC Studios crew, our talented collaborators, our casts and crews, and the boisterous and hilarious fans. And the best part of all has been working with Peter Safran, the smartest and most competent person I know. You've been the best partner a person could ask for, and, more than that, a truly good friend.”
“But what only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is that my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least. I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job (thanks to Peter for taking the brunt of that).”
“I'm always a very hard worker, but as a filmmaker, I would at least get to take short breaks to unwind, and I've stolen even that time from both myself and my loved ones over the past four years. (Jenn, I love you and I'm sorry, and you don't need to feel guilty for being the happiest of all people that I'm no longer doing this job.)”
James Gunn said his ADHD-driven hyperfocus makes it challenging to balance projects.
“And the thing my ADHD hyperfocus has had the most difficulty with has been dividing my time between projects I'm incredibly passionate about and the ones I'm not so much, and all the things I have to do as a studio head,” Gunn said.
“So, yes, I will miss the people around me, and I will miss being the co-caretaker of these great characters, but I'm also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking.”
“That's not to say Peter and I are immediately done with DC or superheroes. We have Man of Tomorrow out this summer. And we've just been engaged on another DC project which I'm writing, and we'll see where it goes after that. And, of course, the characters we set up will live on. Thank you so very, very much for embracing the characters and stories we've put on screen. Love and gratitude, James Gunn,” he concluded.