James Gunn slams “lazy” and “generic” superhero movies

The term “superhero fatigue” — the idea that superhero movies will eventually become so monotonous and boring that audiences will lose interest — has been gaining traction lately. While some superhero movies are still grossing huge numbers at the box office, newly-appointed DC boss James Gunn fears that superhero movies are losing their edge.

So what exactly about modern superhero movies does he dislike? “People have gotten really lazy with their superhero stories, and they have gotten to the place where: ‘Oh, it’s a superhero, let’s make a movie about it.’ And then: ‘Oh, let’s make a sequel, because the first one did pretty well,’” he said on the Inside of You podcast.

"They aren’t thinking about: ‘Why is this story special? What makes this story stand apart from other stories? What is the story at the heart of it all? Why is this character important? What makes this story different that it fills a need for people in theatres to go see?’"

Gunn also believes many superhero movies have lackluster final acts with “no rhyme or reason.” I like the way he’s not naming names. It’s fun to guess.

James Gunn’s DC movies will be very different

Despite his thoughts on the current state of superhero movies, Gunn is in the process of building out a new DC Cinematic Universe, beginning with Superman: Legacy. “We’re going to be very careful with the product that we put out and making sure everything is as good as it can possibly be,” he said, adding that a cure for fatigue can be found in exploring “very different genres.”

"I like very serious superhero movies, and I like very comedic superhero movies. I like ones that are a murder mystery but it’s with superheroes. I like to see these different types of stories, as opposed to seeing the same story told over and over again."

James Gunn’s DC Universe kicks off in 2025 with Superman: Legacy. Earlier this week, he announced who will carry the story forward as Clark Kent and Lois Lane:

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