James Gunn hinted at an unexpected vision for controversial DC character Max Lord in the DCU, teasing a more “nuanced” and “multidimensional” portrayal moving away from the hero/villain binary.
Gunn took to threads on Friday and said, “Call Max a villain is a bit reductionist as far as I’m concerned.”
Max Lord co-creator J. M. DeMatteis responded, “He’s flawed (and in the early stories manipulated by a sentient AI), a bit of a con man, but, in the end, Max has a heart of gold and loves his team. But I’m sure you know that!”
Gunn added that he prefers multidimensional interpretations over one-note evil depictions, praising storytellers who have made Lord and Amanda Waller more than the sum of their morally ambiguous parts rather than sticking to good vs evil binaries. Gunn responded:
“I like the nuanced Max for sure. The “evil Max” is in some good stories by some good writers & artists, but I always loved the character in JLI for being multidimensional – same way I loved Waller in Ostrander’s squad. Two characters able to step out of the all-good or all-evil paradigm that was de rigueur in those days (and, still is, actually.)”
Gunn has yet to confirm that his brother Sean Gunn is playing the role in the the DCU, however he didn’t debunk the story either. Although trades are reporting that Max Lord will be in the DC Universe, for his first mention or appearance it will probably take place in Superman: Legacy the way Wayne Enterprises was hinted at in 2013’s Man of Steel, we suspect.
Pedro Pascal previously played a rather corny version of Max Lord in “Wonder Woman 1984.”
Max Lord first appeared in DC Comics Justice League #1 (May 1987) and was created by Keith Giffen, DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire.
As architects of DC Studios’ cinematic renaissance, Gunn and Peter Safran are strategically constructing an interconnected onscreen universe set to kick off with the adult-animated series Creature Commandos in 2024, paving the way for Gunn’s highly-anticipated live action Superman: Legacy tentpole in July 2025 and beyond.
