Political Fallout Has DCU Fans Worried James Gunn Could Be Ousted

So here is the gist: a rumor is making the rounds that James Gunn could be out at DC Studios if Skydance ends up buying Warner Bros. The pitch is that his take on the DCU rubs up against what Skydance reportedly wants politically. It is messy, very speculative, and people are already mad about it. Let me break down what is actually being claimed and what is just noise.

Where this started

The latest push came from a video by Instagram creator @cinemawithdylan, who says that if Skydance (run by David Ellison) buys Warner Bros., Gunn could be fired because some fans think his DC work is anti-MAGA and anti-Israel. That is the framing. Gunn himself has not publicly planted a political flag, but the perception is driving the rumor.

Part of this traces back to the rollout of Gunn's Superman. Certain conservative outlets did not love how he talked about the character, and it turned into a whole culture war lightning rod.

"Superman is an immigrant that came from other places."

That line drew flak on Fox News and elsewhere, which is how we got to the current 'Gunn vs. conservatives' narrative in some corners of the internet.

The ownership chatter (and why fans are twitchy)

According to the video, Warner Bros. has been entertaining buyers, and the names floating around include Netflix, Universal, and Skydance/Paramount. On paper, fresh ownership could steady the ship. The worry is what comes with the buyer.

The same video points to a Variety exclusive that allegedly details how David Ellison has been leveraging family money and access to Donald Trump to tee up acquisitions. It also notes that some of Ellison's moves were viewed as Trump-friendly, and adds context about his father, Larry Ellison, being a close friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a major donor to Friends of the IDF. The piece, as summarized in the video, also claims Paramount was the first major studio in September to denounce a celebrity open letter urging a boycott of Israeli film institutions.

Layered on top of that, the Instagram clip says Skydance has declared it will not work with actors who are against Israel and wants its movies to lean into "Alpha Male" MAGA-style messaging. It even goes so far as to say Skydance has Trump's approval and predicts Skydance will be the one to land Warner Bros. If all that happens, the claim is that Gunn would be shown the door and the current DCU plan would be scrapped.

To be super clear: those are claims being passed along by the video, citing that Variety report. None of the acquisition pieces are finalized, and corporations do not move on internet timelines.

What this would mean for the DCU (if it actually happened)

If you take the rumor at face value, a Skydance-led WB would want a different political vibe than what some fans read into Gunn's work, which could put Gunn's job at risk. The domino theory is that firing Gunn would derail the entire DCU reboot, starting with Superman. The internet reaction has been exactly what you think: panic, frustration, and a lot of people yelling about politics in superhero movies.

How fans are reacting

The mood in the comments under the viral video is a mix of alarm and skepticism. Some folks say they finally see a comic-accurate DCU taking shape and do not want it taken away. Others do not buy the premise that Gunn's stuff is anti-MAGA or anti-Israel. A big throughline: please stop making film slates based on political litmus tests.

• "We finally start getting a comic accurate universe and this happens... my god."
• "Anti MAGA and anti Israel? Brother, Peacemaker was anti-nazi while Superman was anti-genocide."
• "I swear DC can never win. The second things actually start to look up, this happens."
• "Superman is not anti anything. It is a pro-humanity film."
• "Are rich people allergic to money or do they just enjoy burning it?"
• "If James Gunn gets fired I am never watching DC ever again."
• "Just give WB to Universal. At least they will know what they are doing."
• "Why should politics be involved with superhero movies? Superman is not going to tell you who to vote for. This is crazy."

Two big reasons the internet is mad

First, plenty of viewers want to see Gunn's whole DC plan play out, starting with Superman. Second, a lot of people really do not want studio greenlights dictated by political loyalty tests. That combo is why the rumor, even without hard facts, is sparking such a strong reaction.

Reality check

A few things worth keeping in mind:

- Gunn has not publicly declared a political stance, despite the discourse around his movies.
- The notion that Skydance would impose a strict political filter on casting and content is coming from that Instagram video's summary of reporting; it is not an official policy announcement we can point to.
- Corporate takeovers are complicated and slow; even if Skydance is a frontrunner, nothing is done until contracts are signed and regulators sign off.

Where this leaves us

We are in rumor territory, with a lot of speculation about motives and politics layered onto a potential sale that may or may not happen. If you are invested in Gunn's DCU, I get the anxiety. But for now, this is more smoke than fire. If the deal-making actually lands, then we will see what kind of slate the new owners want, and whether Gunn is still steering the ship.

In the meantime, feel free to tell me where you land: cautiously optimistic about new ownership, fully against it, or just tired of culture war crossfire hitting your superhero movies.