Perhaps we were all wrong when we assumed when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson said “the hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change” that he was talking about himself and Black Adam, as it was just announced today that The Suicide Squad director James Gunn and film producer Peter Safran will be named co-chairs and co-CEOs of a newly established division of Warner Bros. Discovery called DC Studios.
DC Studios will be replacing DC Films and will cover DC’s film, television, and animation projects from here on out. Gunn and Safran are replacing former DC Films head Walter Hamada, who just recently left the company. THR is reporting that Gunn will be focusing on the creative side of things, while Safran will be more on the business and production side.
“DC has among the most entertaining, powerful, and iconic characters in the world and I am thrilled to have the singular and complementary talents of James and Peter joining our world-class team and overseeing the creative direction of the storied DC Universe,” said the CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav in a statement. “Their decades of experience in filmmaking, close ties to the creative community, and proven track record thrilling superhero fans around the globe make them uniquely qualified to develop a long-term strategy across film, TV, and animation, and take this iconic franchise to the next level of creative storytelling.”
James Gunn’s path into the world of DC started with The Suicide Squad and was followed by the hit HBO Max spin-off series Peacemaker, which is currently in production on its second season. Safran has been working with WB for the last 10 years, helping build the Conjuring universe, as well as producing Aquaman, Shazam!, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker.
“We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We’re excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told.”
Zaslav has vowed to reshape DC with an ambitious 10-year plan that he says will rival Marvel Studios, and with the addition of these two extremely talented individuals, and the creation of a full-fledged studio for DC, he may actually be onto something.
