We are hearing more behind-the-scenes chatter from WonderCon, and it lines up with what has already been circulating about James Gunn and the future of DC.
Worth a mention is that WonderCon is a smaller-scale con, but near Los Angeles so it does get a lot of people who are involved with the industry.
According to various insiders I spoke with at WonderCon, Gunn is still expected to be out at DC, and I was told that could even happen before Man of Tomorrow, which is set for release in July 2027.
This tracks with what John Campea recently said about Gunn potentially leaving by the end of the year, and I was also told Campea has legit sources.
WonderCon insiders back the James Gunn exit talk
What I was told at WonderCon is that people in the know still expect major changes at DC, with Gunn possibly not lasting long enough to see Man of Tomorrow through in the way fans were originally sold.
The film will still be released but by that time, Gunn will have made a “graceful” exit.
None of this has been confirmed by DC Studios or Warner Bros. Discovery, so take it as insider chatter for now. But it fits the narrative that has been building for a while, especially as uncertainty keeps surrounding the future of the DCU slate at future-owner Paramount.
A big indication that Gunn’s divisive DCU is in trouble is the cancellation of Starfleet Academy, which everybody here agrees is a terrible show.
Zack Snyder was approached, not the other way around
I was also told something else interesting regarding Zack Snyder.
According to the insiders I spoke with, Snyder did not go to them about coming back. I was told it was the other side that approached Snyder about a possible SnyderVerse return.
If true, it means there has been at least some interest in bringing him back from people with influence, as these larger media and studio moves continue in the background. Recall that Mike De Luca was bringing back the DCEU in the real ending of The Flash before Zaslav changed things and Gunn took over.
Iran war said to be slowing things down
The other wrinkle I heard about is the war in Iran.
I was told the situation has slowed everything down and that the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal would have moved faster if not for the instability now hitting the market and the wider concerns around foreign investment and regulatory scrutiny.
The deal has already been facing chatter about regulatory issues, and any added pressure tied to geopolitical tension or overseas financing is only going to make things more complicated.
So while there may still be movement behind the scenes, it sounds like outside events are now creating concerns.
Saudis reportedly getting cautious
Another thing I heard is that the Saudis may be getting cold feet, or at the very least becoming more cautious when it comes to U.S. investments.
If that is what’s happening, it could have a direct effect on the pace of any bigger media shakeups, especially if outside money was expected to help get certain things over the finish line.
It doesn’t mean everything is dead. It may mean there is hesitation where there was previously momentum.
Trump post may ease some concerns
There is also the political angle.
Trump recently posted on Truth Social in a way that suggested CNN is basically a done deal, which insiders believe could help ease some of the concerns hanging over the situation.
Whether that actually changes anything with regulators remains to be seen.
