For the past few months, Warner Bros. Discovery has been searching for the new head of their newly-formed division dedicated to the DC franchise and replace Walter Hamada, who left the position recently. Now, the company's search is over as they have recruited familiar names to headline the studio for the next couple of years.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran have been tapped to serve as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios and will lead the franchise's film, TV, and animation efforts.
They will be reporting directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and will work closely with Warner Bros. Pictures chairpersons Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy. Gunn will focus on the creative side while Safran will focus on the business and production side and both of them are expected to continue to direct and produce their respective projects.
The report also indicated that the duo's deal as heads of the studios will run for four years. Gunn, who is also currently tied with Marvel on the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy projects, will be exclusive to DC once his duties for them are over.
"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 in a statement.
"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."
This is certainly an exciting direction for the DC franchise which is in need of reinvigorating at the moment. Gunn and Safran's hiring for the position is a sign of confidence since it means that the franchise is now under the hands of actual creatives who have proven success in managing DC projects.
It is interesting to see what Gunn and Safran have plans in store for the future of the DC franchise now that they're going to actually guide it in its entirety, not just the projects that they're personally spearheading.
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