Warner Bros. Discovery Taps James Gunn and Peter Safran as Co-Heads of Newly Formed DC Studios

The DCEU (DC Extended Universe) is no more. Now it is simply called the DCU (DC Universe) as Warner Bros. Discovery has officially hired writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as co-heads of the newly formed DC Studios.

The Hollywood Reporter writes:

"In a stunning turn of events, filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran have been tapped to lead DC’s film, TV and animation efforts as co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, a newly formed division at Warner Bros. that will replace DC Films.

"The unprecedented move, in which a top director will assume a top executive post, marks the end of a months-long search by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav to replace DC Films boss Walter Hamada, who departed the studio last week. That search had all of Hollywood guessing and playing executive bingo for who would land one of the most coveted — and challenging — jobs in town...

"Gunn will focus on the creative side of things, while Safran will focus on the business and production side. Both are expected to continue to direct and produce projects, respectively. They will report directly to Zaslav and work closely with Warners film bosses De Luca and Pamela Abdy. Sources say the deal runs four years and Gunn will be exclusive to DC. The goal is for them not just to be producers, but to truly function as executives even as Gunn will occasionally hone a movie...

"Unlike Marvel Studios, DC has multiple films set in separate creative universes, and according to sources, Joker filmmaker Todd Phillips’ work on the upcoming sequel, which goes into production later this year, will not fall under Gunn and Safran’s purview and instead will be overseen by De Luca and Abdy. Matt Reeves, who worked under Hamada, has a budding universe based on his The Batman movie. It is unclear under whose purview Reeves’ future projects would fall, but everything else moving forward would be under Gunn and Safran’s."

Gunn is currently focused on releasing his final two Marvel Studios projects with THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY HOLIDAY SPECIAL in November, followed by GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 in May. After these are released he will solely focus on the DCU moving forward.