It’s no secret Warner Bros. Discovery has wanted its “own Kevin Feige” to oversee DC Studios. Marvel Studios’ head honcho has turned the MCU into a worldwide juggernaut. You can’t just easily find someone like that, though. So Warner Bros. is going to try something else. Instead of hiring one person to do the job, the company has hired two. And one of them is a shocking name with plenty of experience in both superhero franchises. Guardians of the Galaxy and The Suicide Squad‘s James Gunn will serve as co-chair and co-CEO of DC Studios along with producer Peter Safran.
The Hollywood Reporter just dropped a metaphorical megaton bomb that will have huge ramifications for superhero fans everywhere. THR first reported DC Studios has tapped Gunn and Safran to lead all things DC. That includes the studio’s film, television, and animation projects. They will report directly to David Zaslav, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Chief Executive Officer and President. This news come shortly after Walter Hamada departed as the head of DC Films.
Gunn is best known for his work in the MCU, but he’s not a newcomer to DC. In addition to The Suicide Squad he created, wrote, and directed the movie’s spinoff HBO Max series Peacemaker. Safran is also a Warner Bros. and DV vet (Aquaman, The Conjuring). And the two have successfully worked together before, with Safran producing Gunn’s DC outings.
Hiring a director and writer to serve as co-chair is bold move that fans who care about stories and not box office sales should celebrate. (Especially in lieu of Warner Bros. Discovery’s recent problems and cancellations.) Safran will focus on the business end while Gunn handles DC Studios creative direction.
Will the two of them be equal to one Kevin Fiege? They don’t have to be. They just need to shepherd a beloved superhero franchise down a successful path. That’s hard enough to do without comparing yourself to the MCU. Even if they know everyone is definitely going to do just that anyway.
