Arrowverse writer says they 'wasted their time' with DC after James Gunn era snub

Arrowverse writer Marc Guggenheim has said he "wasted" his time after being snubbed by new DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran.

The co-creator of Arrow, Guggenheim shared a new post where he spoke about the sacrifices he made to bring The CW's big 'Crisis on Infinite Earths' crossover to life a few years ago.

However, after being told that his phone would "ring off the hook" after the ambitious project, the writer shared his disappointment at how things have turned out, especially following the recent shake-up at DC.

"The project, a live action adaptation of a seminal comic book series that made a significant impression on my psyche, was more than a labor of love — it was a labor in every respect and a project where I spent every ounce of capitol I’d amassed in developing DC Comics-related shows for Warner Bros. over an eight-year period," he wrote on Substack.

"I called in every favor. I used every chit. I burned every bridge. I even spent $10,000 of my own money."

Guggenheim went on to claim that "afterwards, my phone did not, in fact, ring. 'Off the hook' or otherwise", adding: "Yes — and I don’t mean to belittle this in the slightest — fans loved what we did. There were Tweets. There were posts. There were memes. There was much discussion.

"All of which I was — and remain — deeply grateful for. Working on these shows, we always reminded ourselves that the opposite of love was not hate, it was apathy, and no matter what, there was never any apathy. Except for, well, Hollywood."

Related: DC boss James Gunn shoots down Henry Cavill return rumours

Addressing Gunn and Safran's takeover of DC, the writer expressed disappointment that he did not get at least a "conversation" amid their plans.

"James Gunn announced that he assembled a 'writers room' to help chart out what the new 'DC Universe' under his and James Safran’s leadership is going to be," Guggenheim wrote. "Suffice it to say, I am not among that group.

"I’m not particularly surprised. In fact, I assumed that they would assemble some kind of brain trust to help facilitate what I assumed — hoped — would be a vision as ambitious as the DC Universe deserves. But I’ll be honest: I would have liked to have gotten at least a meeting."

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"Not a job, mind you. A meeting. A conversation. A small recognition of what I’d tried to contribute to the grand tapestry that is the DC Universe. I’d only spent nine years toiling in that vineyard, after all."

He went on to say that he has faced "a lot of adversity, challenges, and personal sacrifices" working for DC, adding: "Simply put, the Arrowverse hasn’t led to any other gigs, so it feels — at least on a career level — that I really wasted my time."

Digital Spy has reached out to Gunn's representatives for comment on Guggenheim's claims.

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Sam Warner

Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International.  Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.