Is the old comic-con model dead? James Gunn speaks on his new approach to marketing the DC Universe film and television slate.
The 2010s were truly a golden age for comic-con (at least, when it came to film and TV announcements). Fans could expect to tune in every year to major reveals from both the Marvel and DC Universe, revealing new details on both announced and unannounced project alike. Some of the most iconic moments from superhero fandom came from these live events.
However, there’s been a shift. Truly “big” announcements at comic-con, be it San Diego or New York, have become few and far between. While it started well before James Gunn took over the DC Universe with Peter Safran, their absence has been by FAR the most noticeable. This if only because Gunn himself has been very active in letting major news drop randomly on social media.
Is The DC Universe Leaving Comic-Con Behind?
James Gunn actually spoke on the DC Universe’s absence from comic-con during a recent discussion with New Rockstars. The director revealed that the decision to move away from conventions had nothing to do with the state of the industry, and everything to do with money. Simply put, it’s really expensive to host a Hall H panel at a place like San Diego Comic-Con!
“I think it’s a case-by-case basis. It just depends on the situation. Sometimes you really benefit from going to Comic Con and spending millions of dollars and selling an idea, especially when you have a great trailer.”
“But other times, I post a picture of the cover of the screenplay on Instagram for zero dollars, and it is equally effective; it gets just as much press. So you have to kind of always ask yourself, ‘What is it that’s worth spending money on?'”
Of course, it’s not likely the DC Universe will leave comic-con behind for good. As more creators other than James Gunn make progress on their projects and the number of projects in development increases year over year, it’s likely that the golden age of comic-con will return once more. Though for now, it seems that fans will have to settle for social media posts and interviews.
Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!