James Gunn Dismisses Fan Wars Ahead of Superman, Fantastic Four Releases

This summer, two major superhero films are primed for a box office showdown. The DC Universe's rebooted Superman arrives on July 11, followed by the Marvel Cinematic Universe's colossal The Fantastic Four: First Steps a mere two weeks later on July 25. While fan communities for both franchises often clash online, DC Studios co-chair James Gunn has made it clear he has no interest in fueling that rivalry, preferring instead to highlight the positive aspects of each upcoming release.

On Threads, Gunn was questioned about The Fantastic Four amidst discussions of the ongoing Marvel vs. DC competition among fans.

"They come out two weeks after us," Gunn responded. "There's room for both of us! I have great affection for my colleagues at Marvel. You can find any kind of debate you want online, but I choose to focus on the excitement surrounding these films rather than getting dragged into pointless online fan disputes."

Gunn's history with Marvel is extensive, as the writer and director behind the beloved Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. His credentials with DC are also solid, having written and directed the critically acclaimed 2021 The Suicide Squad.

Now, as co-head of the revamped DC Universe alongside Peter Safran, Gunn has written, directed, and produced Superman. He is charting a course for the DCU that Warner Bros. Discovery hopes will surpass the success of the previous DCEU. With numerous films and series in development, future clashes with Marvel release schedules seem unavoidable.

Consider Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, slated for June 26, 2026. That release falls just over a month before Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31, 2026. On the television front, the DCU's HBO series Lanterns is expected in 2026, a year that will also see several Marvel Television series debut on Disney+, including the second season of Daredevil: Born Again and Vision Quest.

For the moment, however, all eyes are on Superman and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, with both films under significant pressure to deliver massive box office results. No matter which publisher you favor, July promises to be an incredible month for superhero enthusiasts.

It's also worth noting that Marvel and DC have collaboratively announced a project destined to be one of 2025's top-selling comics. The publishers are joining forces for a pair of one-shot crossover specials starring Batman and Deadpool. This marks the first official crossover between the Marvel and DC universes in over two decades. Even better, the collaboration isn't ending with Deadpool/Batman #1 and Batman/Deadpool #1; plans for a follow-up crossover in 2026 are already underway.