Entertainment
James Gunn Proves Warner Bros. Learns From DCEU Failure
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
In a truly strange twist of events, Clayface just became the most highly anticipated film of the DCU. Sure, the upcoming Superman movie looks fun, but we’ve seen the Man of Steel’s tights and flights on the big screen several times; what we haven’t seen is a prestige horror movie written by Midnight Mass maestro Mike Flanagan and Speak No Evil director James Watkins. The creative powers behind the Clayface movie are proof that James Gunn has learned from the DCEU’s failures and is ready to create adult comic book movies that aren’t just exercises in edgelord nonsense.
James Gunn Rights DCEU Wrongs
To understand the significance of Clayface to James Gunn’s DCU, it’s important to look back on what made the DCEU such a colossal failure. In retrospect, that cinematic universe’s biggest problem was its attempt to position itself as a more serious alternative to Marvel. Basically, if the MCU was filled with family-friendly superheroes, the DCEU would be filled with edgy stories brought to life by even edgier characters.
That idea works on paper. After all, the best way for a new cinematic universe to succeed is for it to differentiate itself from its biggest competitor. The problem, though, is that “edgy” gave way to “edgelord” almost from the very beginning: Superman’s initial adventure ends with him murdering Zod, for example, and only after their fight nearly toppled every building in Metropolis. Later, the DCEU tried to lighten up by bringing Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon to re-edit Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but that CGI mustache cover-up film was so bad that the studio eventually caved in and released Snyder’s original film.
In other words, this cinematic universe went from being edgy to being family-friendly and back again, and it was soon clear that Warner Bros. was throwing everything against the wall and seeing what stuck. It was honestly embarrassing to watch, but as a DC superfan, Clayface has me excited. The big names attached to this villain origin story provide tentative proof that James Gunn learned from DCEU’s failure and can finally deliver a serious alternative to the MCU that doesn’t make us constantly cringe deep into our seats.
While the exact story details are unknown, it is strongly rumored that Clayface will be a horror/thriller written around the title character’s tragic story. It is similarly unknown which version of the villain we will see, as it’s unlikely that this serious film will portray him as the walking mud man that we see in cartoons like Batman: The Animated Series and Harley Quinn. This seems to be a very serious take on a character with some major pathos, and it’s being brought to life by Mike Flanagan and James Watkins, two major players in the horror genre.
While this illustrates how James Gunn knows how to bring together killer talent, how does all of this prove he learned from the failures of the DCEU? In short, it sounds like we are going to start getting serious alternatives to the MCU that treat their characters and their audiences with equal dignity. That’s admittedly a very low bar, but it wasn’t that long ago that Warner Bros. tried to win fans over with self-serious slop like Suicide Squad and boneheaded vanity projects like Black Adam…compared to those films, Clayface has the potential to transform comic book movies as we know them.
Considering the current state of Marvel, James Gunn has picked the best time to give us a more mature alternative to the failed DCEU. The MCU has become a bloated mess of perplexing stories and stunt casting, like the bizarre decision to bring Robert Downey Jr. back as Doctor Doom. If the DCU can hit the ground running with films like Clayface and remind audiences of the potential of comic book movies, then Warner Bros. might finally solve the persistent problem of superhero fatigue, which might just keep an entire genre from following the Western into a sunset of cinematic irrelevance.
Source: Deadline
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
Mashable Deals
Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
TRIPE.
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
