Following the news that Netflix won the bidding war to acquire WBD, Bloomberg published what reads like a glowing feature on James Gunn and Peter Safran, but the timing raises more eyebrows than confidence.
The report highlights their “grand vision” for DC and runs through projects on their slate, but the real story sits between the lines: their contracts now run through spring 2027 — exactly when the Netflix–WBD sale is expected to close.
Six-Month Extension Lines Up With Netflix Deal Timeline
Bloomberg confirms Gunn and Safran’s contracts end in 2027, suggesting a quiet six-month extension occurred.
That extension lines up almost perfectly with the projected window for Netflix to complete its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which also comes with the release of Man of Tomorrow.
Notably, as our insiders went over, Gunn and Safran did not receive long-term renewals like WB film chiefs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy — which is a major tell.
Superman a box office failure
The report also confirms what we first told you and others, that Gunn’s Superman wasn’t a theatrical success.
Bloomberg spins it that the film was a big success but only says Superman made money when “ticket sales, online rentals and merch deals” are factored in.
What the box office failure shows is that fans really didn’t show up, especially in the international markets.
Selling Themselves Hard
The Bloomberg article paints a flattering portrait of the duo, complete with quotes from David Zaslav praising their “creative vision.” But the piece reads more like a PR push driven by uncertainty than any real sign of stability.
If Gunn and Safran were locked in for the long haul, there wouldn’t be a need for a feature story arguing why they matter.
The piece reads like two executives campaigning to keep their jobs under a new owner.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos even said on a conference call that Penguin is great television and they would want more like it, with no mention of Gunn’s DCU (Gunn’s Peacemaker lost nearly 40% of its viewers and has been canceled).
Netflix’s Plans Remain a Wildcard
An analyst calls DC the “single greatest opportunity” in the WBD deal, but the streamer hasn’t stated whether it wants a unified DCU, a downsized operation, or even a shift to one-off films and outside licensing (exactly as our insiders questioned).
That ambiguity puts every DC leadership role under review — including Gunn and Safran’s.
For now, the duo continues promoting their roadmap, but the reality is simple: If they’re working this hard to justify their value, their futures under Netflix are anything but guaranteed.
