James Gunn recently opened up about where DC Studios and the larger DC Universe finds its inspiration, and revealed it actually isn’t the MCU.
How did Game of Thrones inspire the DCU?
Speaking to Omelete in a recent interview (via Comic Book Movie), Gunn opened up about what the DCU is using as a reference. Perhaps surprisingly, Gunn revealed that the hit HBO series Game of Thrones and the A Song of Ice and Fire novels are where DC Studios has been drawing the most from.
“Game of Thrones, not just the show but the books, is what we’re using as a reference for the DCU,” said Gunn. “The DCU is not the MCU. The MCU is kind of our world. It has New York, it has this city or that city, with superheroes in the middle. The DCU is a different universe. Slightly different, slightly transformed.”
Gunn also opened up about other projects he draws inspiration from. These include other high-profile franchises like Star Wars, which he says do a good job of building up various stories that all take place in the same continued universe.
“At the same time, I also draw a lot of inspiration from Star Wars, Game of Thrones and other things that tell different stories within the same continuity. It’s not about telling just one story.”
Gunn will get the chance to debut the first film in the DCU, Superman, next month, when the film releases on July 11, 2025.
