Superman director James Gunn has pushed back against claims that standalone films in the new DC universe lack value if they do not contribute to a broader overarching narrative.

Addressing a comment on social media questioning the direction of his current slate of projects , which includes the recently released Clayface , the director rejected the notion that every entry must serve as a stepping stone.

Replying directly to the user, Gunn wrote: "DCU is just an alternate universe; we can enter at any location or time and tell THAT story. I dislike the idea that individual stories aren’t meaningful unless they lead to something else.

“People not understanding this is strange to me, because Star Wars has essentially been doing this for 50 years across movies, shows, games and books, admittedly without the tonal variety."

While acknowledging narrative threads do connect certain projects, such as the transition from Superman to its sequel, Gunn stressed that standalone features retain their own…