Warner Bros Discovery has undergone many changes in the last few months. The conglomerate’s president and CEO, David Zaslav, is hell-bent on giving WBD’s DC section a new direction. However, not all changes were received favourably by the fans, including the cancellation of Leslie Grace’s Batgirl. Reportedly, former boss Walter Hamada was not ecstatic about these changes and decided to leave DC Films. As a result, Warner Bros has tapped the duo of James Gunn and Peter Safran to take charge of DC projects.
The Hollywood Reporter disclosed this surprising news first. James Gunn will serve as the co-CEO of DC Studios, a new division at WB that will replace DC Films, alongside Safran. This newly formed division will oversee all the upcoming DC movies, tv shows, and animation projects.
Additionally, Gunn will reportedly handle the creative side of the studio. On the other hand, Safran will take care of all the business and production elements. But this scenario will not stop Gunn from helming DC films and shows. According to his four-year exclusive deal, the prominent filmmaker can direct DC projects in addition to taking executive decisions about other DC instalments.
Hiring James Gunn sounds good for DC
James Gunn needs a little introduction these days. From writing screenplays to taking control of DC projects, the director has indeed travelled a long journey. MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) gave him the spotlight he truly deserved. Apart from his GOTG entries, the helmer is also well-known for his works (The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker) at DC.
Gunn is undoubtedly one of the best and boldest filmmakers at present. Also, he is a wildly creative man. And his ability to make obscure, odd, or never-before-seen comic book characters memorable is unmatched. Just think about how much we love seeing Rocket or Groot on our screens these days. It was Gunn who did complete justice to these characters and made those ‘a##holes’ lovable. When Disney fired him, he joined DC and gave the fans ‘The Suicide Squad’ they deserved in the first place. Soon, we got the bloody and freakishly good Peacemaker series starring John Cena.
Gunn may emerge as the ‘Kevin Feige’ of the DC Universe. Both these guys care about their projects and fans. Feige not only concentrated on solo Marvel entries but made sure that they became a crucial part of the bigger picture, The Infinity Saga and The Multiverse Saga. We can expect Gunn to do the same after Warner Bros failed miserably to replicate Marvel’s formula in the hideous ‘Josstice League’. Ever since that horrendous flick came out, the studio threw all future possibilities of getting another Justice League movie into a trashcan and started focusing only on solo superhero projects.
Will Gunn restore Snyderverse? It’s too early to comment on this matter. But it is safe to say that equal importance will be given to all DC characters under his leadership. It doesn’t matter if we are talking about Blue Beetle or Superman.
DCEU is dead
Yes, DCEU no longer exists as Zaslav has bestowed a new name to the franchise, DCU. While announcing Gunn and Safran’s hire, the WBD CEO added this in his internal memo: “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.”
Warner Bros introduced DC Extended Universe for giving direct competition to Marvel Cinematic Universe. But we all know how badly DCEU has struggled over the years while its competitor has soared high. But the hierarchy of power has changed now. It seems like the new heads are looking to reset the entire franchise. And this scenario welcomes a new vision known as the DCU.
With James Gunn and Peter Safran on board, the future of DC looks bright. Let’s just hope the duo takes DC Studios to new heights. Stay tuned for more updates.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
