Warner Bros. and DC’s grand cinematic universe hasn’t hit the ground running in the way diehard fans would have hoped, that much we know. Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were both disappointments in their own right and, ultimately, failed to live up to the hype and excitement that preceded them.
By stark contrast, aside from maybe Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World, an objective moviegoer would likely struggle to find an entry into the Marvel Cinematic universe that was ostensibly bad, given that each has found success in commercial and critical circles alike.
One film that broke past all expectations, though, was Guardians of the Galaxy. First released in 2014, the spacefaring adventure was a slam dunk for Marvel and director James Gunn, enthralling viewers on one hand and pulling off the so-called impossible with the other: making the likes of Star-Lord and Groot household names. Now presiding over Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – the “biggest spectacle movie of all time,” apparently – Gunn has offered up his own take on the ‘rivalry’ between Marvel and DC movies.
Per Variety, the filmmaker’s response was pragmatic; not only did Gunn express his deep and abiding love for DC comics, he then called for parity between all superhero films, regardless of which cinematic universe they belong to.
“I just don’t find any room in my headspace for thinking my movies are superior or inferior to someone else’s,” Gunn told Variety in a video interview. “I really just think about how can I make, for instance right now, how can I make Guardians Vol. 2 the greatest spectacle film of all time? That’s all I care about so that’s what I concentrate on. I don’t really think about Marvel versus DC. And also any time a Marvel movie comes out that isn’t as good as I wished it was or anytime a DC movie comes out that isn’t as I wished it was, I’m disappointed because I love these characters. I grew up reading Marvel and DC comics. I want them all to be good.”
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 will slam into theaters on May 5, 2017.
