For reasons that are as infuriating as they are unsurprising, James Gunn has had to bat away criticism from DC fans that he’s betraying his new employers by promoting Marvel Cinematic Universe projects.
As has been made perfectly clear ever since he took the role of co-CEO alongside Peter Safran, Gunn will continue to represent both sides of the divide until Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 releases in theaters next May, at which point he’ll bid farewell to Kevin Feige and head across town to steer the competition.
Gunn’s Twitter timeline has been especially Marvel-heavy lately, although that’s to be expected when the Disney Plus Holiday Special dropped less than a week before the long-awaited Vol. 3 trailer. However, it’s back to the world of DC for the filmmaker and executive, who shared the first teaser poster for Blue Beetle for the world to see.
Given all the headlines being seized by the behind the scenes shuffles at DC, as well as the release date domino effect that’s hindered The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, not to mention the binning of Batgirl, Blue Beetle has been allowed to fly fairly far under the radar so far.
An August 2023 release date is slap bang in the middle of summer, and it’s definitely the lowest-profile project on the big screen docket for the new and improved DCU, so don’t be surprised if it ends up turning out as one of the sleeper hits of the year. Hopefully the first one-sheet means a trailer isn’t too far away, and we can get a taste of what’s in store.
