DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division ofWarner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as video games, based on characters from theAmerican comic book publisherDC Comics, primarily as part of its flagshipmedia franchise andshared universe, theDC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by writer/directorJames Gunn and producerPeter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since its formation in November 2022.
The studio's predecessor,DC Films, was formed in May 2016 as a division ofWarner Bros. Pictures to oversee DC-based film productions, primarily those from its shared universe franchise theDC Extended Universe (DCEU). DC comic book and television writerGeoff Johns and Warner Bros. producer Jon Berg served as 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, withWalter Hamada hired as the studio's president. Following the merger of DC and Warner Bros. ownerWarnerMedia withDiscovery, Inc. in April 2022, WBD overhauled its operations, leading Hamada to step 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 asoft reboot of the DCEU.
From 2016 to 2023, DC Films produced 13 films within the DCEU, fromSuicide Squad (2016) toAquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), alongside two standalone films,Joker (2019) andThe Batman (2022).Joker and the studio's DCEU filmAquaman (2018) are among the50 highest-grossing films of all time, withJoker becoming thefirst R-rated film to gross over $1 billion. The first DC Studios production is the television seriesThe Penguin (2024), a spin-off fromThe Batman. DC Studios releases films and television series within the DCU, starting with the animated seriesCreature Commandos in 2024, and the filmSuperman 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 set to beDynamic Duo (2028).
Justice League (2017) had one of the biggest film budgets (nearly $300 million) but grossed about $96 million in its opening weekend. Steven Zeitchik, in an analysis forThe Washington Post, expected another course correction, with a possible change in leadership.[9] Scott Mendelson ofForbes felt that the course correction would be for DC Films to give up on the shared universe, while continuing with theWonder 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 withRoy 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. executiveWalter Hamada was appointed as the new president of DC Films, to oversee the films in the DCEU. Hamada was closely associated withNew Line Cinema, and helped develop horror films, such asIt (2017) andThe Conjuring film franchise.[14] Johns subsequently left his role at DC Entertainment that June, and he was no longer involved with the DCEU.[7]
In April 2022, after the merger between Warner Bros.' parent companyWarnerMedia andDiscovery, Inc. to formWarner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the new CEODavid Zaslav was exploring a restructuring of DC Entertainment, including having a creative leader akin to Marvel Studios presidentKevin 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, andWarner Animation Group respective leadership. FormerMGM executivesMichael De Luca andPamela Abdy became the co-executives of Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema. They were also temporarily assigned to oversee the remaining units of the group until the new positions were filled.[16][17]
When the release of the filmBatgirl was canceled by WBD 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 forBlack Adam (2022). Hamada was upset and considered resigning, but agreed to stay untilBlack 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 WBD ended negotiations and agreed to part ways,[21] in part due to Lin's concerns with theBatgirl cancellation.[22] DuringBlack Adam's Times Square premiere in October, star and producerDwayne Johnson said he could be a consultant at DC Films, helping the studio find its next creative leader.[23] Later that month, it was reported that De Luca had been effectively running DC Films in place of Hamada.[24] On October 19, Hamada departed the company, two days before the release ofBlack Adam.[25]
Formation of DC Studios and new leadership (since 2022)
Writer/directorJames Gunn and producerPeter 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/directorJames Gunn and producerPeter Safran, who had previously worked together on the DCEU filmThe Suicide Squad (2021) and its spin-off seriesPeacemaker (2022), were announced as the co-CEOs and co-chairmen of DC Studios, a newly-created production entity under WBD. DC Films was dissolved, and DC Studios oversaw the remaining films from the studio pending release in 2023. The duo was tasked with leading the production of films, television, animation, and video games under the DC label, reporting directly to Zaslav while also working alongside, but independently of, the heads of WBD'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][26][2][27]
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,[28] 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.[29] 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 asSuperman, whileBen Affleck, who portrayedBruce 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.[30][31] Gunn later revealed that new DC films would have an equal focus on popular and obscure characters, drawing inspiration from the DC animated seriesJustice League Unlimited (2004–2006) andYoung Justice (2010–2022).[32][33]
On January 31, 2023, Gunn and Safran announced the first slate of DCU content, titled "Chapter One: Gods and Monsters". They also assembled awriters' room that includedDrew Goddard,Jeremy Slater,Christina Hodson, Christal Henry, andTom King.[32][34] Projects that are not a part of the shared universe are branded as "DC Elseworlds".[35] The following month, Gunn confirmed development for animated films within both the DCU and DC Elseworlds.[36] Gunn said in March that they were working on potentially incorporating characters from DC'sVertigo Comics imprint beyond theSwamp Thing film,[37] and said the following month that there were plans to incorporate characters fromMilestone Media publications by DC, such asStatic.[38] In September, WBD announced that it would expand its production facility atWarner Bros. Studios Leavesden, England, which would serve as the primary production hub for DC Studios. Gunn and Safran were consulting on the expansion, with work starting in the second quarter of 2024 and expected to be finished in 2027.[39] DC Studios's television series were initially all intended for the streaming serviceHBO Max (briefly renamed to simply "Max"),[32][40] but in June 2024, WBD shifted many of its planned big-budget Max series to beHBO originals beginning in 2025, including upcoming series from DC Studios.[41]
In February 2024, Gunn and Safran worked with WBD corporate siblings to acquire theChristopher Reeve documentarySuper/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (2024).[42][43] This is the first film to be released under the DC Studios banner,[44] whileThe Penguin (2024) is the first DC Studios production and the first series to be released under that banner.[45] In June 2024, DC Studios andWarner Bros. Animation were revealed to be developingan animated television series focused on the characterJaime Reyes / Blue Beetle for the DCU that would follow after the events of the DCEU filmBlue Beetle (2023).[46] AtSan Diego Comic-Con in July, Gunn unveiled the official logo for DC Studios as an updated version of the 1977 "DC Bullet" logo designed byMilton Glaser, alongside an animated introduction sequence featuring Superman,[47][48][49] in a recreation of the back cover ofSuperman #1 (1939) designed by Warner Bros. Animation.[50] The updated logo was also being used for DC Comics and its affiliated units,[47][48][49] but was not used for some earlier projects that DC Studios had inherited, namelyThe Penguin and the animated seriesHarley Quinn (2019–present), because they were not as involved in those. A slightly different DC Studios logo animation is used for the end credits onThe Penguin, while a separate logo and opening animation are set to be used for future projects released under the "DC Elseworlds" banner.[50]
That October, DC Studios andWarner Bros. Pictures Animation greenlit the theatrical animated filmDynamic 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.[51][52] The filmJoker: 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,[53] and he later clarified that the studio would release every subsequent film and television adaptation from DC.[50][54]
Ahead of the premiere of the DCU seriesCreature Commandos in December 2024, DC Studios announced the unscripted biweekly video podcast seriesDC Studios Showcase: The Official Podcast, produced byOBB Sound for the streaming service Max.[55] Later that month, they also announced the launch of its DC Studios Fan First newsletter via DC's website, to provide updates on the company's projects, with an introduction message written by Gunn.[56] In February 2025, DC Studios announced that it had greenlit three "younger-skewed" animated series—Starfire!,My Adventures with Green Lantern, andDC Super Powers—which were being co-produced with Warner Bros. Animation.[57] The adult animation seriesMister Miracle, also co-produced with that studio, was announced in June.[58] In November, DC Studios was revealed to be developing a new television series adaptation of the 1982–1989 Vertigo graphic novelV for Vendetta for HBO, alongsideWarner Bros. Television Studios,Ben Stephenson of Poison Pen, and Leanne Klein ofWall to Wall Media.[59]
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][60] 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)[61][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]
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]
^Zack Snyder leftJustice League during post-production and was replaced by Joss Whedon, whosignificantly altered the film. He is credited as co-screenwriter and an executive producer, while Snyder retains sole credit as the film's director.[63][64][65]
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James Gunn on Instagram: Here's the video that played at #SDCC before the logo reveal. 🧜♂️ presents James Gunn explaining why he and Peter Safran chose the studio's logo,Instagram video from Gunn's account.svg)
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