David Zaslav, Warner Bros. CEO, has made his most significant hire to date. Discovery, naming “Guardians of the Galaxy”Director James Gunn “Aquaman”Peter Safran and producer Peter Safran are the co-chairmen, CEOs and founders of the DC Studios. They oversee all aspects of film, TV, animation and production for the comic book series.
“For over 60 years, these and other DC characters have captivated and inspired generations of fans around the world, and as stewards of the iconic franchise, we feel a real responsibility to preserve and expand the DCU for the enjoyment of future generations,” Zaslav wrote in an internal memo announcing Gunn and Safran’s hire.
“In many ways, we have only begun to scratch the surface. James and Peter have a broad vision for DC storytelling and how it all fits together, and they plan to create even more compelling and unforgettable experiences for DC fans worldwide, while building a sustainable growth business out of the iconic franchise,”He went on.
The hiring of one of DC’s most well-known directors of superheroes will help to restore goodwill after months of bad headlines including the cancellations of HBO Max and HBO Max. “Batgirl”There were reports that attempts to find megaproducers that could be comparable to Kevin Feige at Marvel Studios failed.
DC now has a creative director in Gunn, who is well-versed in the Warner family. With the hugely successful “Guardians of the Galaxy” films — which have a Disney+ holiday special completed and a third feature film in post-production — Gunn was also the director of the gory DC film “The Suicide Squad,”Although it was a huge box office hit, the film proved to be a huge success with hardcore fans and was the inspiration for the HBO Max series. “Peacemaker”John Cena is the star
Safran has 25 years of production experience, which includes the DC films. “Shazam!”And “Aquaman.”As a producer on the sequels, he will be able to hit the ground running as DC chief for his four-year term next week. “Shazam: Fury of the Gods”And “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,”These will be available next year.
Safran also has experience creating cinematic universes, having worked with James Wan to build New Line Cinema’s “Conjuring” universe. The horror series grossed more than $2B at the global box offices despite a production budget of less that $200M.
“[Gunn and Safran] are highly respected by creatives and talent alike and bring their own deep love and appreciation for the characters and stories of the DCU to their new roles. As they told me, this is a passion project for them, not just a job… and that is sure to be evident in their storytelling,” Zaslav wrote.
However, the new DC executives will need to develop a long-term vision. This is a difficult task at a time DC has multiple projects of varying types and tones. The above are just some of the tasks. “Shazam”And “Aquaman” sequels, follow-ups to Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” Patty Jenkins’ “Wonder Woman 1984”Todd Philips “Joker”All of these films are being created by those filmmakers.
And then there’s Dwayne Johnson and “Black Adam,”This weekend’s domestic box office hit $67 million. It also marked the return of Henry Cavill in Superman. Cavill has said that he will return as the hero from Krypton, while Johnson has openly proclaimed his vision for Black Adam’s future and the DC Universe.
In the months ahead, Gunn and Safran will decide how they handle these projects. They will also determine if their vision of DC includes a cinematic world like that created by Marvel Studios since 2008 or one Zack Snyder tried to create through films like “The Dark Knight Rises.” “Batman v Superman”And “Justice League,”or if it will be more about allowing creatives like Jenkins, Reeves to continue with their plans with DC characters without having to develop plans to connect them.