James Gunn has a tough task ahead of him to bring the DCU back from the brink of disaster and make it a force to be reckoned with in the world of comic book movies and TV shows. Despite noting on multiple occasions that he does not see Marvel and DC as being in competition with each other, it is obvious that Gunn’s new slate of movies will have to compete with the well-established continuing story of the MCU, whether he likes it or not.

While appearing on the new edition of Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Gunn explained in detail that he believes returning to the traditional world of hidden superheroes with secret identities, and the fictional cities of DC Comics they inhabit will set the DCU apart from the MCU.

“If you look at the MCU, there are very few traditional superheroes. There was never a guy with a secret identity until Spider-Man in the MCU. Their Cap was turned into a soldier even though he wears a mask. Iron Man outed himself at the end of the first Iron Man because they don’t want to deal with the whole secret identity stuff. But there is a bit more of a fantasy element to DCU, because there are these larger-than-life superheroes and for me, there’s Superman and Clark Kent. They’re two different characters, and you have to find a way to deal with them that’s as grounded as possible within this world of DC. One of the things that I love about DC, that excites me about DC, is that in a way it’s another alternate history. It is Gotham City and Metropolis and Star City and Bludhaven, and all these different places in this other reality, and it makes it a little bit like Westeros in some ways. I love it in that way. I love that we get to create true worldbuilding in DC, it isn’t just ‘we’re throwing some superheroes on Earth.’ I think right now, that’s one of the key differences.”

Related: James Gunn Declares Michael Rosenbaum the Best Lex Luthor

James Gunn Says Blue Beetle is the First New DCU Superhero.
Warner Bros. Pictures

With the old DCEU giving way to the new DCU, there has been a lot of speculation over where Blue Beetle figures in the plans of James Gunn and Peter Safran. While The Flash and Aquaman have been well established in the old regime for a number of years, Blue Beetle is a completely new addition to the on-screen universe, and Gunn’s recent comments have not exactly clarified things. He noted of the character:

“The first DCU character for sure is Blue Beetle, and the first DCU movie is Superman [Legacy].”

What this seems to suggest is that Blue Beetle will be a character that is part of the new DCU, but because Gunn didn’t personally have a hand in the movie then it is not officially a DCU movie. Clear as the murky conscience of a comic book anti-hero.