We’ve been waiting to see what Warner Bros Discovery chief David Zaslav planned to do for DC Films. After all, it’s been long reported that Zaslav wanted his very own Kevin Feige to take over the comic book brand. Now, surprisingly enough, it looks like James Gunn and Peter Safran are the new co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios. The DC Studios label will take over from the ailing DC Films, allowing Gunn and Safran to oversee all DC-related content at Warner Bros. This includes film, television, and animation projects.
As noted via THR, David Zaslav released a statement to announce the new positions of James Gunn and Peter Safran. He noted that they are both “uniquely qualified to develop a long-term strategy across film, TV, and animation,” and that they will “take this iconic franchise to the next level of creative storytelling.”
Here’s the complete statement:
“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 began. “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.”
An additional statement was shared by James Gunn and Peter Safran. They both note that they “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.” This certainly sounds like an exciting path for the DCEU to take. Furthermore, they note that they want to “invigorate the theatrical experience around the world.” Here’s their complete statement:
“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.”
This news comes not long after Walter Hamada, the previous head of DC Films, left Warner Bros Discovery altogether. As such, this is clearly a monumental step forward for the company and it should be exciting for all to see where this leads next. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for additional updates as we have them. James Gunn and Peter Safran have previously worked together on the DCEU film The Suicide Squad and the related HBO Max series Peacemaker.