DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran have nearly completed their "DC Universe Bible," according to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
Zaslav confirmed that Gunn and Safran were "coming to close to the end" of drafting their roadmap for the cinematic universe's future during a discussion panel at the RBC 2022 Global TIMT Conference. He also hinted that the document will represent a more unified approach to the DCU's overarching continuity. "I think over the next few years, you're going to see a lot of growth and opportunity around DC, there’s not going to be four Batmans," Zaslav said, seemingly referencing the Dark Knights played by Ben Affleck, Robert Pattinson and Michael Keaton in recent and upcoming DC projects. "And so part of our strategy is [to] drive the hell out of DC, which James and Peter are going to do. I think they've thrilled the fans. I think they're going to thrill you over a period of time."
Warner Bros. Discovery appointed Gunn and Safran as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios in October 2022. DC Studios replaces previous production company DC Films and brings together all of Warner Bros.' DC Comics-inspired film, TV and animation projects under one banner. Gunn will spearhead DC Studios' creative direction, while Safran will handle the business and production side of the studio's operations. Responding to a fan on Twitter, Gunn recently reiterated that his new role doesn't mark the end of his filmmaking career, confirming that he plans to direct at least some of DC Studios' upcoming projects himself.
How Does New DCU Label Impact the DCEU?
These projects will apparently fall under the new "DC Universe" label, which Gunn and Safran have seemingly instituted in favor of the existing DC Extended Universe moniker. Gunn and Safran have yet to explicitly confirm that they've shelved the DCEU, however, official statements by them and senior Warner Bros. executives all use the DCU term exclusively. Subsequent comments by Gunn regarding legacy DCEU properties such as David Ayer's Suicide Squad likewise make it clear that the DC Studios co-head views focusing on "the new DCU" as key to the shared universe's future.
Gunn's recent online activity also indicates that he's placing considerable value on direct fan engagement as he continues to plot the DCU's way forward. Notably, Gunn opened the floor to suggestions from DC devotees regarding which characters they'd most like to see appear on the big screen next.
Source: RBC 2022 Global TIMT Conference, via THR