Director James Gunn and Peter Safran named to lead DC film and TV studios
“Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equalled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent," said Gunn and Safran in a joint statement.
FILE PHOTO: Director James Gunn poses at the premiere for the film "The Suicide Squad" in Los Angeles, California, U.S., August 2, 2021. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni
James Gunn and Peter Safran were named co-heads of Warner Bros Discovery's DC studios on Tuesday (Oct 25) to oversee film, television and animation projects featuring popular characters such as Wonder Woman, Batman and Superman.
Gunn and Safran have brought heroes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Universe to hit films including Guardians Of The Galaxy, Aquaman and The Suicide Squad.
They start their new jobs on Nov 1 and "will spearhead the development and execution of a long-term plan for the many properties licensed from DC Comics", Warner Bros said in a statement.
Despite a vast stable of well-known DC Comics characters, Warner Bros has been unable to match the success of Walt Disney Co's rival superhero studio Marvel, which has produced Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: No Way Home and other mega-hits.
Gunn directed Suicide Squad for DC studios and three Guardians Of The Galaxy movies for Marvel. The final Guardians movie is set for release next May.
Safran has produced many films for Warner Bros and New Line Cinema, including Gunn’s The Suicide Squad as well as Aquaman, Shazam and the horror films in The Conjuring universe.
“We’re honoured to be the stewards of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children,” said Gunn and Safran in a written statement. “Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equalled 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.”
For the past four years, Walter Hamada headed what was previously called DC Films but officially departed the studio last week, ahead of the theatrical launch of Black Adam.
