Is Maxwell Lord the true villain of the DC Universe? James Gunn gives his thoughts on if he’ll be tangoing with Blue Beetle anytime soon.
When it was first announced that Sean Gunn would be playing Maxwell Lord in the DC Universe, many though that that it was yet another example of James Gunn giving his friends and family the meatiest roles in the DC Universe. Mostly since many fans assumed that he was introduced to be an overarching villain for the franchise, with James already teeing up the end of Blue Beetle.
Yet it seems fans may be mistaken about the role of Maxwell Lord in the DC Universe. When responding to a fan inquiring about if the character will officially turn heel to paint the walls with Blue Beetle, James Gunn remarked that Lord wasn’t always a villain in the comics.
“Max was retconned as a sort of muscular evildoer after originally being conceived by J.M. DeMatteis as a multi-layered character who was morally gray,” Gunn wrote on Threads. “Along with skinny Amanda Waller, it wasn’t one of my favorite comic reimaginings. Our Max is inspired by the originally version. So don’t be waiting for him to shoot Blue Beetle in the face.”
Maxwell Lord’s Role In The DC Universe
If Maxwell Lord isn’t a villain, some fans may be wondering what role James Gunn has in mind for the character heading forward in the DC Universe. The answer is likely simple: Sean Gunn is playing the Jeff Bezos of the franchise. Maxwell Lord’s most important asset has always been his money, so using him as a stand-in for all things capital could be an interesting way to engage with the earlier versions of his character.
It’s also likely that Maxwell Lord will ultimately fun the Justice League as it transitions from the Justice Gang. He was the main executor of the Justice League of America’s budget in the older comics. And, given how much James Gunn likes explaining nerdy questions, it would serve as a way to explain how the team can afford such luxury goods despite not collecting any money.
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