Is the DC Universe doing something entirely different? Sean Gunn speaks on the inspirations behind Maxwell Lord and the comparisons to Marvel Studios.
The DC Universe has always been playing catch up to Marvel in the film department. With the studio now on their second crack at a shared universe helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy alum James Gunn, those lines drawn between them are stronger than ever before. However, according to Maxwell Lord actor Sean Gunn, it’s not exactly a fair comparison to make.
“I came into the whole process of working at Marvel once the machine was kind of already up and running smoothly and doing well,” Sean Gunn told The Wrap in a recent chat. “DC, I’ve done [The] Suicide Squad, but now they’re kind of overhauling it, and it’s new ever since my brother took over as head of the studio. It’s sort of been a new process for them. So it would be, it’s really kind of true, like trying to compare apples and oranges.”
It’s true that the DC Universe is in a very different place than Marvel, both in terms of how they started and the modern day film landscape. Superhero projects, and James Gunn, are a known entity now. And even with actors like Sean Gunn playing lesser known characters like Maxwell Lord, audiences are expecting more out of their spandex-clad media than they were even five years ago.
Sean Gunn Teases Maxwell Lord In The DC Universe
Just as James Gunn is taking a different approach to the DC Universe than he did at Marvel, Sean Gunn is taking a whole new approach to playing Maxwell Lord. Some fans may expect the character to stray closer to Sean Gunn’s prior roles, or even prior attempts at adapting Maxwell Lord into live-action. However, according to the actor, the character is a whole different beast than what came before it, stating “It’s all from written materials with things that we figure we’re looking at.”
Given Maxwell Lord has only been adapted twice into live-action, once in Smallville and once in Wonder Woman ’84, it’s not shocking that James Gunn and Sean Gunn would take the character in a new direction for their DC Universe. And given that the character already seems to be helming his own super team, it’s clear that they’re already succeeding!
Superman is currently scheduled to hit theaters on July 11, 2025. 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!
