Following the $43 billion merger of AT&T’s WarnerMedia and Discovery Inc. into Warner Bros. Discovery, CEO David Zaslav has implemented monumental changes in the company, such as the cancellation of the Batgirl film, a move that led Walter Hamada to step down from his role as the president of DC films. Shortly after, James Gunn and Peter Safran were named co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios and assumed their positions at the beginning of this month, taking charge of all future DC films, TV shows, and animations. Assuring investors of his decision, Zaslav told them, “They have a powerful vision and blueprint that will drive a more unified creative approach.” Gunn and Safran seem to be repaying the faith placed in them after they revealed during the company’s virtual town hall that their plans for the future of the DC universe are in progress. Safran affirmed that DC Studios will focus on one big story, saying, “This was such a unique opportunity to tell one great overarching story. One beautiful big story across film, television gaming, live-action, and animation.” Gunn backed up Safran’s statement, saying, “The opportunity to make DC as great as it can be and as it should be — that is the reason why I’m doing this job because I know that Peter and I can do that. We spent the past couple days with a group of some of the best thinkers in the industry, the best writers in the industry starting to map out that eight to 10-year plan of what it’s going to look like in theater, in TV, in animation, across the board for these characters.” Although the pair didn’t mention anything about new projects, their enthusiasm proves DC Studios might finally give Disney a run for its money. Moreover, several DC actors have expressed their approval of Zaslav’s decision, such as Jason Momoa and Henry Cavill, who have vocalized their desire to work under Safran and Gunn. After Black Adam, the next film on the DCU docket is Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The highly anticipated sequel will hit theaters on March 17.
