DC Studios' current co-CEO James Gunn was not Warner Bros.' original pick for the job. The company desperately wanted filmmaker Todd Phillips for the position.
According to the New York Post, Phillips, who made waves with his standalone Joker film, was Warner Bros.' first choice to head the recently rebranded DC Studios. An unnamed insider stated, "The whole town turned the job down... It was almost Todd Phillips. They begged him." Ultimately the job was given to both Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn and Warner Bros. exec Peter Safran. The report further suggested that virtually no one in Hollywood was willing to take on the role.
DC Studios' Major Reshuffle
Gunn and Safran were announced as the new heads of DC Studios in October, following the release of Black Adam. Since then, a number of major changes have been reported, all suggesting a complete reboot of what was once referred to as the DCEU. The stars of the old franchise have been removed from planned appearances, including Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot and Man of Steel star Henry Cavill, who were both set to cameo in the upcoming film, The Flash.
There has been significant backlash to some of the changes, particularly those concerning Cavill. Prior to the reshuffling, the actor appeared in a cameo in Black Adam and suggested fans could expect more appearances to follow. Star Dwayne Johnson and producer Hiram Garcia went so far as to tease an entire saga centered on Black Adam and Superman's conflict in the DCEU.
But while both Cavill and Johnson assured more films were being discussed, it was recently reported that Cavill never had a written contract with DC Studios and that plans for a Man of Steel sequel or other projects never made it further than a verbal agreement. The studio does have plans for the character, however, as Gunn assured he is working on a Superman film centered on a younger Clark Kent.
At the current time, the only upcoming films that have not been scrapped are Blue Beetle, The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, this does not guarantee a continuation of any of these characters. While Jason Momoa will appear in the Aquaman sequel, a recent report suggested the DCU will look to cast him in a different role and end the Aquaman saga. It should be noted that no official announcements have yet been made.
Source: New York Post