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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

zack snyder batman

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


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LA public schools pass screen time limits for students in a first

Los Angeles public school students may be returning to the age of college-ruled notebooks and Scantrons, following a Tuesday school board vote that will limit the use of computers, laptops, and tablets in classrooms.

Titled “Using Technology with Intention,” the new resolution mandates the creation of grade-level and subject-specific screen time limits across Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools, including a complete ban on device usage for kindergarten and first grade. The use of one-to-one devices, like individual Chromebooks, will be discouraged for second through fifth grades, as well.

Revised guidelines will also address video-aided lesson plans, access to video streaming platforms like YouTube, and expanded restrictions on gaming and social media platforms.

District staff must present the revised tech use policy by June, which will go into effect for all LAUSD students beginning with the 2026-2027 school year. Guidelines will be reevaluated every year, and schools are tasked with tracking and sharing student screen time numbers with parents.

The resolution cites increasing concern about the effect of screen time on young minds and alleged screen addiction, including recent Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) studies that show a correlation between high screen time and adverse health effects. The board was unanimously in favor of the tech restrictions, with one recusal.

“We know that tech is not going away and can be a powerful tool in the classroom. This is not about going backwards. This is about rethinking school time and screen time in schools to ensure we are doing what actually helps students learn best,” board member Nick Melvoin said during Tuesday’s meeting.


“This is not about going backwards. This is about rethinking school time…”

Advocates, parents, and even students have spent the last year lobbying for greater tech restrictions following the passing of a 2025 bell-to-bell cellphone ban restricting the use of personal devices during school hours. Schools Beyond Screens, a national classroom tech safety coalition founded by LAUSD parents and teachers, helped craft the resolution in collaboration with board members and co-sponsors Melvoin, Karla Griego, Tanya Ortiz Franklin, Jerry Yang, Kelly Gonez, and Rocío Rivas.

“Now is the time for a safe and science-backed approach to classroom technology, one that is not guided by Big Tech talking points like screen value over screen time,” the organization wrote in a press release following the decision.

“There is much work to be done, and this is only the beginning, but today, we are proud, grateful, and – for the first time in a long time – hopeful. Our kids may yet have the kind of public education that they deserve — one that is proven effective and free of undue digital distraction, harmful content, and corporate exploitation.”

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The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is at the lowest price weve seen all year

SAVE $75: The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $224 at Amazon, down from the standard price of $299. That’s a 25% discount.


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Packing up for an adventure means figuring out how to bring along a soundtrack. A trip to the cabin or a lakeside campground all deserve to be experienced with a great playlist. If you could use an upgrade before summer to get a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of April 22, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $224 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $299. That’s a 25% discount that takes $75 off the price. It’s also the lowest price we’ve seen at Amazon so far this year.

A compact speaker with a scratch-resistant aluminum shell is exactly what we should be packing on adventures. With an attached carabiner, the B&O Explore speaker is designed to clip onto your backpack when you hit the trail. Or you can utilize the rubber base to set it on a rock or even in the sand. It’s both waterproof and dustproof, adding to the durability.

Bang & Olufsen notes this model gets up to 27 hours of playtime before it needs to recharge. It weighs under 1.5 pounds, so it won’t add much bulk to your gear. It takes about two hours to recharge the Beosound Explore.

Before summer kicks into high gear, add the Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore speaker to your pack. It’s ready for any adventure you have planned.

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Get some new wrist candy with the CMF Watch Pro 2 at its lowest price ever

SAVE $39.01: As of April 22, get the CMF By Nothing Watch 2 Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79. That’s a discount of 49% and the lowest price we’ve seen.


$39.99
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$79
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There are tons of smartwatches on the market if you’re in need of one. But if you’re willing to look beyond the Apple Watches or Samsung devices out there, you’ll find an awesome alternative from the Nothing brand that’ll save you some serious cash. Not only is it more affordable than the competition, but it’s got everything you could want and then some. In fact, one of the models is on sale right now.

As of April 22, get the CMF By Nothing Watch 2 Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79. That’s $39.01 off and a discount of 49%. It’s also the lowest price we’ve seen.

This affordable smartwatch not only comes in an attractive form factor, but it has just about everything you could ask for. It has your average comms tools like Bluetooth calling and gesture control, a built-in mic and speaker, contacts, message reminders, and music control. But from there, it offers a wide range of sensors and data to help you take control of your health.

It offers a portable blood oxygen saturation monitor, a heart rate monitor, sleep tracking, and so much more. All of this data, including workout information, steps, and much more, can be synced across all your favorite fitness apps, including Apple Health and Google Health Connect. There are 120 sports modes to choose from, GPS positioning, and even a 3D warm-up exercise guide to help get you on your feet each day.

With interchangeable watch straps and an attractive face, this extremely reasonable smartwatch is definitely one to rival Apple and Samsung. You’ll want to grab yours while it’s still down to the lowest price we’ve seen.

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