Amid the ongoing fallout from the DC Universe shake-up, director James Gunn has come under fire for casting his wife in The Suicide Squad.
His wife, Jennifer Holland, plays A.R.G.U.S agent Emilia Harcourt in the 2021 comic book adaptation and will reprise her role in several upcoming films.
Despite the backlash, Gunn has brushed off the criticism and addressed fans.
The Guardians of the Galaxy director has come under increasing fire since he announced a massive overhaul of the comic book franchise late last year.
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After taking over the newly formed DC Studios with Peter Safran, the filmmaker announced a brand-new era for DC with an adaptation of The Brave and The Bold and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.
Whilst it’s the first time many of these comics have been adapted for the big screen, fans were still devastated to learn that the Snyderverse would not be completed.
They also reacted angrily to the news that Man of Steel actor Henry Cavill and Black Adam’s Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson would also be exiting the franchise.
After their shock departure, fans have been highly critical of the filmmaker’s every move.
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One fan even lashed out at the studio executive and his wife, tagging them in a recent tweet that read: “Stop putting your wife in every DC project”.
Gunn hit back with a lengthy tweet, saying: “The only DC movie I’ve ever cast my wife in was #TheSuicideSquad.”
He continued, explaining that he’d not been part of the casting process for other DC features, writing: “I had nothing to do with the casting of any other movie - anything else was shot a year or so ago while I was deep in Vol 3. But I know some of you are deeply in need of reasons to hate.”
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Whilst other fans leapt to his defense, it’s yet another bitter pill to swallow for Gunn.
Holland was a well-established actress before meeting Gunn, featuring in TV shows like Drake & Josh, long-running soap Days of Our Lives and American Horror Story.
Having met through Smallville actor Michael Rosenbaum, Holland began dating Gunn in 2015 and they were married in 2022 - a month before Gunn was appointed the head of DC Studios.
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Holland also appeared in the Peacemaker series, alongside John Cena, and was the main love interest of the titular superhero.
The 35-year-old actress will now star in Shazam: Fury of the God, Superman: Legacy and Waller, a spin-off about the director of the Suicide Squad.
Topics: DC Comics, James Gunn, Film and TV, Entertainment, Celebrity
Katherine Sidnell