Comic Book Movie News: James Gunn joins DC Studios as co-chair of film & TV UPDATE: NEW DCU PHASE 1 Gods & Monsters

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James Gunn joins DC Studios as co-chair of film and TV

The filmmaker will oversee the creative direction of the DC Universe across film, TV, and animation alongside Peter Safran.
By Jessica WangOctober 25, 2022 at 07:08 PM EDT


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DC Studios has tapped filmmaker James Gunn to oversee creative efforts across film, TV, and animation.
Both Gunn and film producer Peter Safran have been appointed as co-chairmen and chief executive officers of the studio, where they will spearhead development and execution of long-term plans for the many DC Comics properties.
Gunn will focus on the creative side, while Safran will focus on the business side of things. Both will also continue to develop, direct, and produce projects. They will report directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and work closely with Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content, and WB chairman Channing Dungey, among others.
The new division will replace DC Films, previously run by Walter Hamada, who recently departed the studio last week. Both Gunn and Safran are, of course, well versed in the superhero and DC genre, having adapted some of the biggest DC and Marvel properties for the big (and small) screen in recent years, including Guardians of the Galaxy, Aquaman, Peacemaker, and The Suicide Squad.


James Gunn

| CREDIT: KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES
"We're honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we've loved since we were children," Gunn and Safran said in a joint 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," the statement continued. "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."
The news comes a few hours after Gunn shared the first trailer for the Guardians of the Galaxy holiday special, set to debut on Disney+ in November. The special will follow the ragtag group of space adventurers as they try to spread some holiday cheer, which involves a ploy to kidnap Kevin Bacon — played by the actual Kevin Bacon — in an effort to get Chris Pratt's Star-Lord in a more festive mood following the loss of Gamora (Zoe Saldaña).
 

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How James Gunn & Peter Safran Landed Top Spots At DC Studios
By Anthony D'Alessandro
Anthony D'Alessandro
Editorial Director/Box Office Editor
@AwardsTonyMore Stories By Anthony
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October 25, 2022 1:17pm
(L-R) James Gunn and Peter Safran will lead DCGetty Images
Finally, Warner Bros Discovery boss David Zaslav has a new head of DC Studios, and its not one but two: Guardians of the Galaxy and Suicide Squad filmmaker James Gunn and DC films producer Peter Safran.
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 and capital spend — just so everyone is on the same page. Gunn and Safran start effective November 1.


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Henry Cavill Returning As Superman
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 announced last week was just a re-up. 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 pair became even more serious contenders for the job as they were advising Zaslav on candidates, one of those previously being Warner Bros veteran 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 Zaslav and De Luca were eyeing here in Gunn-Safran for the new DC label was one akin to Disney’s Pixar, where there is a creative and business face.
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 Warners’ DC including 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. Some insiders say that untangling Lin from his deal at Universal, which had a financing component, was hard, but others say it wasn’t that complicated. Talks simply fell apart.


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Safran was an easier get for Zaslav given that he had a first-look deal already in place at Warner Bros.
Gunn and Safran will work closely with Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max Content; 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 alongside Warner Bros Motion Pictures and DC that he outlined when taking on the new conglomerate.
Development insiders at the studio are excited: The prospect of gearing up writers’ room under Gunn is a luring prospect for talent and scribes.
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 linchpin for Warners/New Line theatrical between building The Conjuring to the biggest horror franchise ever at $2 billion worldwide, and shepherding DC’s highest-grossing movie ever, Aquaman, at $1.1 billion; as well as Shazam!; and Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and HBO Max 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 set for June 23, 2023.
“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 said today. “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.”
Added Gunn and Safran: “We’re honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children. 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. We’re especially enthusiastic about doing all of this with Mike, Pam, Casey, Channing, and the whole Warner Bros. Discovery team, and are grateful to David Zaslav, whose bold vision for the future of the franchise we share and allows for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Most of all, we can’t wait to bring you all into the story of the DCU.”
De Luca and Abdy said: “We could not be more excited to have James Gunn and Peter Safran join the team and assume the leadership of the DC Universe. James is a brilliant filmmaker and storyteller and Peter is a tremendously successful and prolific producer and to have them both committing to work together to forge this new era for DC is a literal dream come true. We all share a very similar sensibility and passion for this universe and the stars couldn’t have aligned any better. We can’t wait to get started, dig in, and collaborate with these unmatched creative minds.”
Before Suicide Squad, Gunn made Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2 at Warner Bros; the first he directed, the second he wrote. He also wrote Zack Snyder’s 2004 remake of George A Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. Other film credits include the horror comedy Slither, the dark superhero comedy Super and the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise at Marvel which counts more than $1.6 billion at the global box office.
Safran’s producing credits add up to more than $4 billion in global box office receipts. Including three DC films next year, he has four releases via Warners as producer including The Nun 2, which he’s currently overseeing production on in Europe. Prior to forming his own company, Safran was president of Brillstein-Grey Management, which represented some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
DC had a No. 1 film this past weekend in New Line’s Dwayne Johnson movie Black Adam, which saw the actor’s best box office start as a solo star with a first frame of $67 million domestic, $140M worldwide.


Here is Zaslav’s internal memo to staff today about Gunn and Safran:
All,
We are thrilled to announce that two of the industry’s most talented and experienced filmmakers, James Gunn and Peter Safran, will be joining our team on November 1 in the new roles of Co-Chairmen and Chief Executive Officers of DC Studios, overseeing the overall creative direction of the DC Universe across film, TV, and animation. As we make this transition to unify the creative expression of DC under a single banner, we are grateful to Walter Hamada for his many contributions to both DC and New Line over the years.
I’ve spent the last few months talking in-depth with James and Peter about the future of the DC Universe and am more excited than ever about where the franchise is headed with them at the helm. They will report to me and will work closely with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy as well as our other creative business executives, Channing Dungey, Casey Bloys, Kathleen Finch, Pam Lifford, and David Haddad. We now have the full leadership team in place… and the team is experienced and strong.
One of the great strengths of our company is our unmatched collection of IP that includes many of the most beloved superheroes of all time… Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and now Black Adam, to name just a few. 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. In many ways, we have only begun to scratch the surface. James and Peter have a broad vision for DC storytelling and how it all fits together, and they plan to create even more compelling and unforgettable experiences for DC fans worldwide, while building a sustainable growth business out of the iconic franchise.
James and Peter have extensive experience in the superhero genre having brought some of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Universe’s most popular characters to life in hit films and series, including: Marvel’s blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy, and DC’s highest grossing movie, Aquaman; Shazam!; The Suicide Squad, and the spin-off series for HBO Max, Peacemaker. They are highly respected by creatives and talent alike and bring their own deep love and appreciation for the characters and stories of the DCU to their new roles. As they told me, this is a passion project for them, not just a job… and that is sure to be evident in their storytelling.
When James was 10 years old, growing up in Missouri, he went to a comic book convention with his dad and that experience, he said, changed his life forever. He would escape into his own world with comic books, and he began to draw and write his own comics and started making movies when he was just 11 years old. That set him off on his creative journey as a filmmaker and storyteller. His experience also demonstrates the real power of these characters to inspire audiences of all ages.
Peter has worked extensively in both the horror and superhero genres and has produced several hit movies and series for Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line, including the entire Conjuring universe, which is the most successful horror franchise of all time at $2B+ in worldwide box office and counting. He and James have collaborated on numerous projects over the years and have a close working relationship. In fact, they told me one of the things that appealed most to them about this opportunity was the chance to lead DC Studios together.
We could not ask for a better team to run DC and are so excited to welcome them to WBD next week. Please join me in wishing James and Peter much success!
David
 

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James Gunn On DC Plans & Leaving Marvel ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’ Sandbox

By Anthony D'Alessandro
Anthony D'Alessandro
Editorial Director/Box Office Editor

James Gunn revealed on Twitter today in response to a fan’s question that he and new DC Studios co-head Peter Safran are planning to reveal their new DC plan to the Warner Discovery team in the next two months.

“Yes, that is true (revealing it to the WBD team)” wrote Gunn on Twitter.

Safran and Gunn were appointed the heads of DC Studios, a separate silo that Warner Discovery Boss David Zaslav wanted under the studio’s motion picture umbrella, on Oct. 25. Gunn going forward remains exclusive to WarnerDiscovery and can’t do any Marvel projects, his last ones for the Disney studio being The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special which drops on Black Friday, Nov. 25, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3 which hits theaters on May 5, 2023.

https://deadline.com/2022/11/warner...vid-zaslav-peter-safran-town-hall-1235169138/

When asked by Deadline recently how he felt about leaving the Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy sandbox behind for DC, Gunn responded “I feel really comfortable. I feel really good. We did this. I think this is a bit of goofy fun that the Guardians needed as an aperitif for Volume 3, which is an enormous film. I had a plan from the beginning.”
“The reason why I needed to finish this is because I love the character of Rocket more than any character I’ve ever dealt with before, and I needed to finish his story and that is what Volume 3 is about. I absolutely needed to do it, and I think we’ve done it in a spectacular way that I can’t wait for people to see.”
In regards to who Marvel will leave the Guardians franchise to, Gunn commented, “It’s not ever going to be the same group of characters for a lot of different reasons. Who knows what will happen with the Guardians franchise in regards to future characters, but in terms of this group of characters, this is the end of their story.”
Between two movies, The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise has amassed $1.6 billion.
Gunn and Safran, held a town hall at Warner Discovery last week with CEO David Zaslav, about their new appointments and their m.o. for a cohesive universe between film, TV, gaming, etc. While Gunn didn’t mention anything about new projects, the former said he has a penchant for such DC superheroes as Metal Men and Bat-mite.

 

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Patty Jenkins’ ‘Wonder Woman 3’ Not Moving Forward as DC Movies Hit Turning Point (Exclusive)

New DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are in the final stages of prepping their multiyear plan ahead of next week's pivotal presentation to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.

BY BORYS KIT
DECEMBER 7, 2022 4:17PM


Call it DC Rebirth or DC: Genesis. Maybe call it Identity Crisis or Flashpoint. These titles of past DC comics event series aptly describe the state of Warner Bros.’ DC movies, which are on the cusp of a new era but not before a potentially messy transition period.

A cleaning of the slate is common when a new executive team is put in place to run a studio or division but there is likely little precedent for the amount of Clorox James Gunn and Peter Safran could spray as they prepare to launch DC Studios and guide superhero movies for the next half decade and beyond.

The duo in recent days flew back to Los Angeles from the snowy city of Aspen, Colorado, where they were huddled in deep planning, and now like holy figures coming down from the mountaintop, have sets of commandments or a DC Bible in hand. Or at least a working blueprint.

Gunn and Safran are expected to meet next week with David Zaslav, the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO who is radically reshaping the media company and who hired the duo in October to lead a newly launched film and TV division. The pair will unveil to Zaslav a plan that is expected to lay out their vision. Although much of their plan, which insiders paint as still a work-in-progress and one that has yet to be approved, is being kept deep in the Batcave, details of several possible paths forward are trickling out. And at least one path not being taken has also been revealed.

Multiple sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 is not moving forward and is considered dead in its current incarnation.

Sources say that Jenkins recently submitted her treatment, co-written with Geoff Johns, and that Gunn and Safran, as well as Warner Bros. Pictures co-chairs and co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, broke the news to the filmmaker, telling her the project — as it stood — did not fit in with the new (but still unfolding) plans. Jenkins directed and co-wrote the previous two movies, starring Gal Gadot and released in 2017 and 2020. No decision has been made about next steps.

And while costs are not a factor — insiders say that DC Studios will not have any overburdensome financial restrictions — the studio could end up saving tens of millions of dollars by not making the third installment. Gadot, according to sources, was on track for a $20 million payday for Wonder Woman 3 while Jenkins would have received $12 million. Those figures don’t include any possible backend bonuses.

Warners had no comment.

It is unclear how any future Wonder Woman movie, and Gadot’s portrayal of the hero, would fit into the new DC plan. In a bit of head-scratching timing, Gadot tweeted out of the blue a thank you to fans Tuesday, saying she was grateful to be allowed to play the heroine and role model, adding, “Can’t wait to share her next chapter with you.” It was unclear whether or not the actress knew the project was being toe-tagged.

The rest of the DC slate remains in flux, or at least is being kept deep in a pocket of Gunn’s own utility belt but there are several rumors and possible scenarios to consider ahead of next week’s meeting.

The first, which builds on the shuttering of Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3, is the closing curtain of the Snyderverse, and the heroes cast by filmmaker Zack Snyder for his Justice League. This one sees the shutting down of Man of Steel 2, with a returning Henry Cavill, and having no more Aquaman, fronted by Jason Momoa.

These characters are to cameo in Flash, the highly anticipated time travel adventure movie that is due to release June 16. Cavill shot his part of the cameo in September. But sources say there is a debate inside the studio as whether or not to keep the cameo and if its inclusion promises something that studio would have no plans on delivering.

A Warners insider cautions that no plans have been finalized and that Flash remains an unlocked picture.

The Cavill situation is a more than a little thorny as the actor made a cameo in Black Adam, the DC-centric movie released in October. The Monday after the movie opened, Cavill posted a video on Instagram where he announced, “I wanted to make it official — I am back as Superman.”

And at that time, he was not incorrect. Warner Bros. was indeed developing a sequel for 2013’s Man of Steel and actively meeting with writers. Andy Muschietti, who directed Flash, even expressed interest in sitting behind the camera for something that would have brought a tone similar to the hopeful and heroic colors of the 1978 movie directed by Richard Donner, considered a benchmark in comic book movies. In fact, the current leadership team at Warner Bros Pictures — Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy — did desire one more go-around of the Snyderverse heroes, possibly even having another Justice League movie with those actors.

But that was before Gunn and Safran began formulating their new (and still in flux) plan.

Also unlikely is a sequel to Black Adam. Despite the hype surrounding the movie of launching a new corner of DC, a lot of it led by star Dwayne Johnson, the movie has only grossed $385 million worldwide and insiders at the studio say the movie, which cost more than $190 million to produce (two sources peg the actual cost at $230 million, not including marketing), will be lucky to break even, even considering ancillary revenue. Even if the movie does eke out a minimal profit, any follow-up’s inherent rising costs dim the prospect of a sequel.

Johnson hoped to carve out his own piece of the DC pie, but multiple sources say his playing up of a returning Cavill and his own involvement with DC may not be endearing him to the new management. Johnson and Cavill are both managed by Dany Garcia, who is also Johnson’s producing partner. The perception of Adam turning a profit or not is a conflagration now being waged in public, with Johnson tweeting the movie would net over $50 million after a Variety story said the movie would lose over $50 million theatrically.

Momoa, meanwhile, could emerge as a pivotal figure in the new plans, according to several sources. In one scenario, the actor would wrap up his days as underwater hero Arthur Curry with Lost City, due out Dec. 25, 2023, which would be the final movie released that was made by the previous regime. But it would not spell the end of the actor’s involvement with DC, with sources saying the actor would lead another movie or franchise. The character of Lobo, a foul-mouthed cigar-chomping intergalactic bounty hunter, has been mentioned in connection with Momoa.

Whether or not Momoa does play everybody’s favorite bastich, Lobo emerging as a rising character early on in the conversation may point to the kinds of characters the Gunn-Safran team may be focusing on. The character is an outsider, an anti-hero, and is keeping in line with Gunn’s specialty of taking the off-beat and quirky and flipping it into crowd-pleasing fare.

Part of the plan could entail a truly fresh start and having no baggage from any previous regimes as they set about resetting how DC movies and shows are made. That, however, does not take into account the possible success of movies such as Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17, 2023), on which Safran is a producer, and Blue Beetle (Aug. 18, 2023). Would that plan include forging ahead without the actors who inhabit those characters and recast them even if those movies prove to be box office hits?

Observers are convinced the plan calls for an interconnected story universe and there is rumblings of the establishment of a creative brain trust. The brain trust may be already rolling in some capacity as sources say that Safran had in recent weeks been meeting with writers at his Los Angeles home in an effort to hone the presentation, gathering feedback and ideas for the plan.

One part that the Gunn-Safran agenda seems likely not to touch, at least for now, is the Matt Reeves Batman universe in which Robert Pattinson dons the cowl of the Caped Crusader. Reeves is writing the sequel to The Batman, which opened March 4. The filmmaker is also overseeing the launch of two Batman series that spin out of his movie, including The Penguin.

GunnSafran-Feature.jpg
 

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So he is using the 'bad fans' angle too? :lol: I see where this is headed right now. Light money on fire, yell at fans. Rinse. Repeat. It's like the new entertainment business model. He kept coates over Cavill. Yells at fans. Yeah, I can tell this ain't his fucking money.

We should have a thread predicting how much money they lose at D.C.
 

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This shit reminds me. Ezra still on as Flash, but Henry gone. PPP. Ezra got that pronoun protection plan. It's like Gunn went to the Mike Ditka/Isiah Thomas school of running things. :smh:
Gunn with the arrogance of general custer and the fans about to play the natives and punk the bitch. :roflmao: Gunn sitting around his flunkies like Marlo in the bullpen on The Wire. :angry: "My name is my name".

Why make enemies of fans when his contract is going to be up just as HIS shit releases? What lasts longer? Twitter/Musk or Gunn/DC? Folks have to go to Twitter to yell at Musk(if that ain't the funniest shit). Fans don't have to pay for Gunn's vision(also funny shit). They can yell at him on YouTube/Twitter and he yells back on Elon's shit. :smh:

Fans are un fucking defeated. When will creatives admit it?
 
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