New Heads Of DC STUDIOS Are JAMES GUNN And PETER SAFRAN!

Warner Discovery Boss David Zaslav has a new head of DC studios; not one but two and it’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn and DC films producer Peter Safran. They both have the new titles of Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of DC Studios, overseeing the overall creative direction of the DC Universe across film, TV, and animation.

PLAYLIST 62 VIDEOS: WARNER BROTHERS DISCOVERY & DAVID ZASLAV
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUPkiRW84R1gxDL-u2P1Ac4bE5bONlHix

SUBSCRIBE TO ADAM POST SPEAKS:
https://www.youtube.com/c/AdamPostSpeaks

Follow ADAM POST on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/comicswelove

Buy My Graphic Novel: THE MERMAIDS
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-mermaids-comic-book/x/2851886#/

Warner Discovery Boss David Zaslav has a new head of DC studios; not one but two and it’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn and DC films producer Peter Safran.

They both have the new titles of Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of DC Studios, overseeing the overall creative direction of the DC Universe across film, TV, and animation under a single banner. The duo will report to Zaslav, but will also be in close correspondence with Warner Bros Film Group Co-Chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, on such matters as marketing, distribution, capital spend — just so that everyone is on the same page. Gunn and Safran start effective Nov. 1.

RELATED STORY
Warner Bros Discovery Will Take Up To $4.3 Billion In Restructuring Charges From Merger
What happened here? Buzz was intense that Safran was going to get the job last week in the wake of former DC Films President Walter Hamada departing the studio. Then insiders told us that wasn’t true; that the first look deal for the Safran company was just re-upped. Turns out that Safran didn’t want to run DC alone unless there was a creative face, that being his Peacemaker and Suicide Squad partner Gunn. Apparently, the twosome became even more serious contenders for the job as they were advising Zaslav on candidates; one of those previously being Warner Bros. vet and Lego Movie producer Dan Lin.

In his new role, Gunn is exclusive to Warner Bros Discovery/DC. No more Marvel. He can only direct TV series and movies for Warner Discovery/DC. Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 comes out via Disney/Marvel on May 5, 2023. There’s also a Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special hitting Disney+. The model that Zaslav and De Luca were eyeing here in Gunn-Safran was one akin to Disney’s Pixar where there is a creative and business face to the new DC label.

Meanwhile the Safran Company will continue to be run by its President of Production, John Rickard. They have several projects in the mix inside and outside Warner’s DC, i.e. the Idris Elba-John Cena action feature Heads of State in the works at Amazon Studios.

While Lin was a serious candidate, we hear he asked Zaslav for too much. Furthermore untangling Lin from his deal at Universal would have been a headache for Warner Discovery as the former Warner Bros development had a financing component to this deal.

Safran was an easier get for Zas given that he only had a first look deal already in place at Warner Bros.

Gunn and Safran will work closely with Bloys as well as Channing Dungey, Chairman, Warner Bros. Television Group; Kathleen Finch, Chairman and Chief Content Officer, US Networks Group; Pam Lifford, President, Warner Bros. Discovery Consumer Products; and David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

Zaslav is still looking for a new head of Warner Bros. Animation, the third feature bucket he outlined when taking on the new conglom next to Warner Bros. Motion Pictures and DC.

Development insiders at the studio are excited: The prospect of gearing up writers’ room under Gunn is a luring prospect for talent and scribes to flock to the studio.

In their new roles, Gunn and Safran will spearhead the development and execution of a long-term plan for the many properties licensed from DC Comics, focused on continuing the tradition of DC storytelling across all mediums, while building a sustainable growth business out of the franchise. Safran has been a lynchpin for Warner/New Line theatrical between building Conjuring to the biggest horror franchise ever at $2 billion WW, and shepherding DC’s highest grossing movie ever, Aquaman at $1.1 billion as well as Shazam!; Gunn’s The Suicide Squad; and the filmmaker’s HBO Max original, live-action series Peacemaker. Also on the horizon from Safran’s DC is Shazam: Fury of the Gods (March 17), Blue Beetle (due August 18, 2023) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on Christmas 2023. Not produced by Safran, but definitely DC, is the Ezra Miller starring The Flash on June 23, 2023.