Rumors are swirling around Warner Bros. Discovery, including claims that the fate of the company rests on the mighty shoulders of James Gunn’s Superman movie.
It’s also said that DCU co-head Peter Safran may exit the DCU amid a possible promotion within the company, as current Warner Bros. film heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy are rumored to be on the chopping block.
WB Films in trouble? Mickey 17 flops, DC future at stake
The report comes from Puck News, which breaks down the state of Warner Bros. Media’s film division under De Luca and Abdy, following what appears to be another box office bomb with Mickey 17, starring Robert Pattinson and directed by Oscar-winner Bong Joon Ho (Parasite).
The article breaks down the various executives involved, who might be to blame, and toward the end, brings up James Gunn, Peter Safran, Superman, and the importance of DC’s IP.
Safran to replace De Luca and Abdy? What it means for the DCU
According to Puck News, the rumor around Tinseltown is that David Zaslav might fire Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy and replace them with Peter Safran (or someone new), who currently co-heads the DCU with James Gunn. Zaslav’s rep has denied the rumor about De Luca and Abdy.
There’s also no mention of what would happen to the DCU if Safran gets promoted to head of Warner Bros. films. but it still raises questions. Would James Gunn take over the DCU entirely? Or would a new co-head be brought in? Gunn has made it clear that Safran handles the business side while he focuses on the creative, so it seems likely a new executive would join Gunn and share DCU duties.
Zaslav has been said to be leaning toward replacing them with Peter Safran, the co-chair and co-C.E.O. (with James Gunn) of DC Studios. But simultaneously, there are rumors that Zaslav will initiate a search for new leadership. – Puck News
Can Superman save WBD?
The article’s comments on Superman are pretty interesting—especially considering what my DC insiders have said about David Zaslav demanding that James Gunn reboot the DCU using cheaper talent. From what I was told, the original plan under De Luca was to continue with the much more expensive DCEU.
The Puck News article also highlights how De Luca has a tendency to overspend, while Zaslav is portrayed as a penny-pincher focused on cutting costs—especially when it comes to marketing. That seems to line up with what we’ve seen so far with Superman, as most of the promotion has come directly from Gunn himself.
While it was recently reported that a marketing consultant was brought on for Superman, Puck makes no mention of it.
Meanwhile, Gunn and Safran are busy with a little project of their own: Superman—the July release that has now taken on almost incalculable importance to Warner Bros. Discovery. If Warners can’t finally make the DC franchise work, there is genuine fear that the studio will go the way of Fox, which was swallowed by Disney in 2019. – Puck News
Is Warner Bros. Discovery for sale?
What’s also interesting is the article’s comment about Warner Bros. Discovery possibly going the way of Fox. From what I’ve been told, Zaslav always intended to sell Warner Bros. Discovery from the time Discovery and WB merged. I’ve heard Comcast (Universal) has been eyeing WBD for some time.
I’ve also been told that when Zaslav sells WBD, he wants to retain control of Discovery. I previously suggested—as basically backed by Variety—that Zaslav’s current moves with WBD are part of an effort to make the company look good for a potential sale.
What Happens If Superman Fails?
What happens after a sale is anyone’s guess, but it’s worth mentioning that both Zack Snyder and James Gunn got their start at Universal. I also wouldn’t be surprised if Matt Reeves is clashing with Zaslav over the budget for The Batman: Part II and the future of DC, which could explain some of the delays. But that’s just my guess. There has also been online speculation that Reeves is waiting to see if Gunn’s Superman is a success or not.
There’s a lot riding on Gunn’s Superman. DC’s value as an IP is part of Warner Bros.’ stock price, and Superman is the first major test. If the movie flops, the fallout could be huge—for Gunn, Safran, DC Studios, and possibly the studio itself, according to Puck News.
“An essential element of the stock price is believing that the I.P. of DC is meaningful,” said one Warners veteran. “David bet big that they can show the world that the DC I.P. can have real value. Superman is the first movie. That will set the tone. They have a tremendous amount riding on it.” That’s a staggering amount of pressure on Safran and especially Gunn, who is directing. But if the movie doesn’t work, at least no one can say it’s Mike and Pam’s fault. Unless folks want to blame the marketing… – Puck News
