DC has finally found its Kevin Feige, or two of them rather, in the form of James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that writer/director Gunn and producer Safran will become co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios. The new studio will replace DC Films at Warner Bros. Discovery, which is being shuttered following Walter Hamada's exit. WBD has spent months looking for an architect to oversee its comic book properties on the big and small screens in the hopes of replicating the success of Marvel Studios president Feige.
Gunn will oversee the creative side of DC Studios, with Safran focusing on the business and production end. On top of their new duties, both creatives will continue working in their respective fields. Gunn and Safran will report directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and work closely with Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs and CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy.
The DCEU Has New Bosses
"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."
While Gunn is deeply associated with rival studio Marvel thanks to his work on the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, recent years have seen him become deeply enmeshed at DC. He directed and wrote The Suicide Squad in 2021 before creating the hit series Peacemaker for HBO Max. He'll return for the second season of that show, and has confirmed he's heading up more DC projects in the future. Safran, meanwhile, has long worked with DC, producing Aquaman, The Suicide Squad, Shazam! and Peacemaker.
"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," Zaslav said 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."
Source: The Hollywood Reporter