David Zaslav Talks Up DC Studios’ Leadership In James Gunn And Peter Safran

It’s only been a few days since James Gunn and Peter Safran officially took over the creative direction of the newly-formed DC Studios, but there’s at least one big supporter in their corner that is giving them high praise already, and it’s the one that matters the most: David Zaslav, head of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Over the summer Zaslav said he would find leaders for DC who could create at least a 10-year plan for the comic book brand as he looked to rival the colossal success of Disney’s Marvel Studios. It seemed like a daunting task at the time to assign such roles, but with Gunn and Safran in place, Zaslav says he’s hopeful for the future.

“I’ve spent a lot of time over the past few months with James and Peter,” Zaslav said this week during an investor’s call (via The Hollywood Reporter). “They have a powerful vision and blueprint that will drive a more unified creative approach that will enable us to realize the full value of one of the world’s most iconic franchises.”

To say it’s been a weird year for DC and Warner Bros. Discovery is easily an understatement. Upon taking the reins, Zaslav quickly derailed the animation department, and canceled the upcoming Batgirl feature film, causing more shifts in schedules for releasing the Shazam and Aquaman sequels, as well as the Flash movie–which has had its own load of setbacks. On the call, Zaslav applauded a number of DC projects, including The Batman sequel and Joker: Folie à Deux, which starts production next month. He even took a minute to spotlight Blue Beetle, even giving director Angel Manuel Soto a shoutout for helming DC’s first film centering on a Latino hero.

DC just released Black Adam, which has grossed $254.7 million globally. The next two years have been mapped out, starting with Shazam! Fury of the Gods (March 17, 2023), The Flash (June 23, 2023), Blue Beetle (Aug. 18, 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (Dec. 25, 2023), and Joker: Folie à Deux (Oct. 4, 2024).