Following the announcement that both Doom Patrol and Titans will end after the fourth seasons conclude on HBO Max, new DC Studios chief James Gunn wants to make it abundantly clear that he had nothing to do with the cancellations. Shortly after the news hit social media, Gunn was tagged in a tweet blaming his “new direction” for the DC Universe as the culprit behind the shows’ mutual demise.
“With @DCDoomPatrol and @DCTitans officially ending due to the new direction of @JamesGunn and [Peter] Safran. All the fans can say is good luck,” Adam Gorman tweeted. “It’s a mighty big hill you have to climb to win the majority of fans over who enjoyed the shows and movies. I’ll be kicking my feet up waiting.”
The new DC Studios boss was quick to set the record straight.
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 26, 2023
“The decision to end the series precedes us,” Gunn responded. “But I certainly wish the best for the talented group of creators, actors, and the rest of the crew that produced both shows.”
In Gunn’s defense, both Doom Patrol and Titans were reportedly headed for cancellation as far back as August 2022 when the newly formed Warner Bros. Discovery started making aggressive cuts under the direction of new CEO David Zaslav. (Gunn wouldn’t be handed the reins to DC Studios until months later.) HBO Max series have been particularly under the microscope, so it tracks with the company’s current strategy that the series that were both ported over from the DC Universe app would get the axe.