DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as some video games, based on characters from the American comic book publisher DC Comics, primarily as part of its flagship media franchise and shared universe, the DC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since it was formed in November 2022.
The studio's predecessor, DC Films, was formed in May 2016 as a division of Warner Bros. Pictures to oversee DC Comics–based film productions, primarily those from its shared universe franchise the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It was led by DC comic book and television writer Geoff Johns and Warner Bros. producer Jon Berg as its co-chairmen. After several DCEU films received poor reception and underperformed financially, the duo stepped down by the end of 2017, and the division was reorganized, with Walter Hamada hired as the studio's president. Following the merger between DC and Warner Bros. owner WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. in April 2022, WBD overhauled operations, resulting in Hamada stepping down in October 2022. DC Films was then dissolved in favor of DC Studios, a new division with greater oversight of DC media. Gunn and Safran, who had worked on some DCEU projects, were hired to lead the studio, and the duo began work on the DCU as a new franchise to serve as a reboot of the DCEU.
From 2016 to 2023, DC Films produced 13 films within the DCEU, from Suicide Squad (2016) to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), alongside two standalone films, Joker (2019) and The Batman (2022). Joker and the studio's film Aquaman (2018) are among the 50 highest-grossing films of all time, with Joker becoming the first R-rated film to gross over $1 billion. The first DC Studios production is the television series The Penguin (2024), a spin-off from The Batman. DC Studios plans to release films and television series within the DCU, starting with the animated series Creature Commandos in 2024, and the film Superman in 2025. Productions that are not part of the DCU are set to be part of the "DC Elseworlds" label. The studio's first animated film is Dynamic Duo (2028).
Justice League (2017) had one of the biggest film budgets (nearly $300 million) but grossed about $96 million in its opening weekend. An analysis in The Washington Post expected that there would be a course correction again, with a possible change in leadership.[9]Forbes contributors felt that the course correction would be for DC Films to give up on the shared universe, while continuing with the Wonder Woman films and occasionally other films, as Warner Bros. had other franchises they could work with.[10] Despite this, in December, the studio reiterated their planned film slate for the DCEU.[11] That same month, Warner Bros. announced that a new strategy and organization of DC Films would occur, with Berg leaving his position as the studio's co-president of production to form a Warner Bros.–based production company with Roy Lee.[12][13] Johns was expected to remain involved in future DC films moving forward in an advisory role while continuing as the president and chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, with Warner Bros. expected to hire a new studio head.[12] In January 2018, Warner Bros. executive Walter Hamada was appointed as the new president of DC Films, to oversee the films in the DCEU. Hamada was closely associated with New Line Cinema, and helped develop horror films, such as It (2017) and The Conjuring film franchise.[14] Johns subsequently left his role at DC Entertainment that June and he was no longer involved with the DCEU.[7]
Restructuring and immediate changes (2022)
In April 2022, after the merger between Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, the new CEO David Zaslav was exploring a restructuring of DC Entertainment, including having a creative leader akin to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead its film and television projects.[15] Later in July, Toby Emmerich stepped down as the head of the Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group. The group was restructured to give DC Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, New Line Cinema, and Warner Animation Group respective leadership. Former MGM executives Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy became the co-executives of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. They were also temporarily signed to oversee the remaining units of the group until the new positions were filled.[16][17]
When the release of the film Batgirl was canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery in August, Hamada was not consulted regarding the decision and only learned about it when De Luca and Abdy informed him at a test screening for Black Adam (2022). Hamada was upset and considered resigning, but agreed to stay until Black Adam's release.[18] Later that month, Dan Lin entered talks to oversee DC's film and television divisions. From this position, Lin was expected to report directly to Zaslav, while Hamada would depart the studio.[19][20] In September, Lin and Warner Bros. Discovery ended negotiations and agreed to part ways.[21] During Black Adam's Times Square premiere in October, star and producer Dwayne Johnson said he could be a consultant at DC Films, helping the studio find its next creative leader.[22] Later that month, it was reported that De Luca had been effectively running DC Films in place of Hamada.[23] On October 19, Hamada departed the company, two days before the release of Black Adam.[24]
Formation of DC Studios and new leadership (since 2022)
Writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran were named co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios in October 2022 and began planning the new DC Universe.
Less than a week after Hamada's departure, writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran, who had previously worked together on the DCEU projects The Suicide Squad (2021) and its spin-off series Peacemaker (2022), were announced as the co-CEOs and co-chairmen of DC Studios, a newly-created production entity under Warner Bros. Entertainment. DC Films was dissolved, and DC Studios helped oversee the remaining films from the studio that were pending release in 2023. The duo was tasked with leading the production of films, television, and animation under the DC label, reporting directly to Zaslav, while also working alongside but independently of the heads of Warner Bros. Discovery's other divisions. Gunn oversees the creative development of DC projects, while Safran supervises the production side. Their roles officially began on November 1, 2022.[1][25][2][26]
In November, Gunn said that the studio would focus on multiple DCU live-action and animated projects, but also stated that they would acknowledge fan responses and complaints,[27] and confirmed all subsequent DC projects would be released under the DC Studios banner, including those that were filmed before the formation of the studio.[28] In December, Gunn announced that he was writing a new Superman film that would feature a younger actor in the role. Henry Cavill was not set to return as Superman, while Ben Affleck, who portrayed Bruce Wayne / Batman in the DCEU, was reported to be in talks to direct a new DC Studios project, before Affleck stated that he was not interested in directing a DC film.[29][30] Gunn later revealed that new DC films would have an equal focus on popular and obscure characters, drawing inspiration from the DC animated series Justice League Unlimited (2004–2006) and Young Justice (2010–2022).[31][32]
On January 31, 2023, Gunn and Safran announced the first slate of DCU content, titled "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters". They also assembled a writers' room that included Drew Goddard, Jeremy Slater, Christina Hodson, Christal Henry, and Tom King.[31] Projects that are not a part of the shared universe will be branded as "DC Elseworlds".[33] The following month, Gunn confirmed development for animated films within both the DCU and DC Elseworlds.[34] Gunn said in March that they were working on potentially incorporating characters from DC's Vertigo Comics imprint beyond the Swamp Thing film,[35] and said the following month that there were plans to incorporate characters from the DC-owned Milestone Media, such as Static.[36]
In February 2024, Gunn and Safran worked with Warner Bros. Discovery corporate siblings to acquire the Christopher Reeve documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024).[37][38] This is the first film to be released under the DC Studios banner,[39] while The Penguin (2024) is the first DC Studios production and the first series to be released under that banner.[40] That October, DC Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures Animation greenlit the theatrical animated film Dynamic Duo (2028), which is DC Studios's first animated film and the first new project to move forward at the studio following its DCU announcements.[41][42][43] The film Joker: Folie à Deux (2024) is part of the "DC Elseworlds" label and was overseen by Warner Bros. Pictures co-chiefs De Luca and Abdy, without the involvement of Gunn, Safran, or DC Studios, although the DC logo used before that studio's formation is included in the credits. At the time of the film's release later that month, Gunn said that "[a]ll future films with DC characters [would] be DC Studios" productions moving forward,[44] and he later clarified that every subsequent adaptation from DC would be released by the studio.[45] Ahead of the premiere of the DCU series Creature Commandos in December 2024, DC Studios announced the unscripted biweekly video podcast series DC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast, produced by OBB Sound for the streaming service Max.[46]
Management
Current
James Gunn – Co-chairman and co-chief executive officer (CEO), DC Studios; Gunn serves in leadership as creative head for the company (November 2022–present)[1]
Peter Safran – Co-chairman and co-chief executive officer (CEO), DC Studios; Safran serves in leadership over the business aspects of the company (November 2022–present)[1]
Chantal Nong – Executive Vice President (EVP), Production, DC Studios; Nong oversees the production and creative development of DC-based films, television, and animation (November 2022–present);[4][47] formerly Senior Vice President, Feature Development and Production of DC Films, overseeing creative development and production management of DC-based films (February 2018 – November 2022)[48][4]
Candice McDonough – Executive Vice President (EVP), Publicity and Communications; McDonough oversees media relations, publicity, and external and employee communications (July 2023–present)[5]
Galen Vaisman – Vice President (VP), Creative Development; former assistant to Jon Berg[4][6]
Former
Jon Berg – Executive Vice President (EVP) and co-president of production, Warner Bros. Pictures; co-chairman of DC Films; and co-runner of the DCEU (May 2016 – December 2017)[3][12][13]
^Whedon was hired by Warner Bros. Pictures during post-production to significantly alter the film. He is credited as co-screenwriter, while his directing was credited theatrically as executive producer. Despite this, Snyder retains sole credit as director of the film.
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