DC Films

DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner 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 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-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 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 of DC and Warner Bros. owner WarnerMedia with 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 soft 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 will be '' Dynamic Duo'' (2028).

History

Formation of DC Films and initial developments (2016–2022)

After the divisive reception to '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016), Warner Bros. Pictures sought to stabilize the direction of its media franchise and shared universe, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). In May 2016, the studio reorganized to have genre-responsible film executives, thus DC Entertainment films under Warner Bros. Pictures were placed under a new division, DC Films, to be led by Warner Bros. executive vice president, Jon Berg, and the chief creative officer of DC Comics, Geoff Johns. This was done in hopes of competing more directly with Marvel Studios' franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Johns kept his role at DC Comics, and reported to DC Entertainment's president, Diane Nelson, while Berg reported to Warner Bros. Pictures' president, Greg Silverman. The division's formation was not designed to override the "director-driven" mandate.

''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. ''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. Despite this, in December, the studio reiterated their planned film slate for the DCEU. 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. 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. 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. Johns subsequently left his role at DC Entertainment that June and he was no longer involved with the DCEU.

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 (WBD), 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. 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.

When the release of the film ''Batgirl'' 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 for '' Black Adam'' (2022). Hamada was upset and considered resigning, but agreed to stay until ''Black Adam'' release. 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. In September, Lin and WBD ended negotiations and agreed to part ways. During ''Black Adam'' 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. Later that month, it was reported that De Luca had been effectively running DC Films in place of Hamada. On October 19, Hamada departed the company, two days before the release of ''Black Adam''.

Formation of DC Studios and new leadership (since 2022)

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 WBD. 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, 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.

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, 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. 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. 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).

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. Projects that are not a part of the shared universe will be branded as " DC Elseworlds". The following month, Gunn confirmed development for animated films within both the DCU and DC Elseworlds. Gunn said in March that they were working on potentially incorporating characters from DC's Vertigo Comics imprint beyond the '' Swamp Thing'' film, and said the following month that there were plans to incorporate characters from the DC-owned Milestone Media, such as Static. In September, WBD announced that it would expand its production facility at Warner 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 was expected to be finished in 2027.

In February 2024, Gunn and Safran worked with WBD corporate siblings to acquire the Christopher Reeve documentary '' Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story'' (2024). This is the first film to be released under the DC Studios banner, while ''The Penguin'' (2024) is the first DC Studios production and the first series to be released under that banner. At San Diego Comic-Con in July 2024, Gunn unveiled the official logo for DC Studios as an updated version of the 1977 " DC Bullet" logo designed by Milton Glaser, alongside an animated introduction sequence featuring Superman, in a recreation of the back cover of ''Superman'' #1 (1939) designed by Warner Bros. Animation. The updated logo was also being used for DC Comics and its affiliated units, but was not used for some earlier projects that DC Studios had inherited, namely ''The Penguin'' and the animated series ''Harley Quinn'' (2019–present), because they were not as involved in those. A slightly different DC Studios logo animation is used for the end credits on ''The Penguin'', while a separate logo and opening animation are set to be used for future projects released under the "DC Elseworlds" banner.

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. 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 " l future films with DC characters ouldbe DC Studios" productions moving forward, and he later clarified that the studio would release every subsequent film and television adaptation from DC.

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. 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. In February 2025, DC Studios announced that it had greenlit three "younger-skewed" animated series—'' Starfire!'', '' My Adventures with Green Lantern'', and '' DC Super Powers''—which were being co-produced with Warner Bros. Animation. The adult animation series ''Mister Miracle'', also co-produced with that studio, was announced in June.

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)
* 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)
* – Executive Vice President (EVP), Production, DC Studios; Nong oversees the production and creative development of DC-based films, television, and animation (November 2022–present); 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)
* – Executive Vice President (EVP), Publicity and Communications; McDonough oversees media relations, publicity, and external and employee communications (July 2023–present)
* – Vice President (VP), Creative Development; former assistant to Jon Berg

Former

* – 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)
* Geoff Johns – Co-chairman of DC Films (May 2016 – December 2017); president and chief creative officer, DC Entertainment (February 2010 – June 2018); and co-runner of the DCEU (2015 – June 2018)
* Walter Hamada – President, DC-Based Film Production, Warner Bros. Pictures (January 2018 – October 2022)

Production library

Films

All of the live-action and animated films by DC Films and DC Studios are distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Live-action films

= Produced by DC Films

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= Produced by DC Studios

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In addition to the following films, DC Studios has also reserved release dates for unspecified films on May 29, 2026, and March 5, 2027.

Animated film

Documentary film

Television

Live-action series

All of the live-action television series by DC Studios are co-produced in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Animated series

All of the animated television series by DC Studios, except for '' Beast Boy: Lone Wolf'', are co-produced in association with Warner Bros. Animation.

Podcast

See also

* DC Entertainment
* List of films based on DC Comics publications
* List of television series based on DC Comics publications
* List of unproduced DC Comics projects
* Marvel Studios

Notes

References

External links

* at DC.com

{{Portal bar, 2010s, 2020s, Companies, Film, Television, Animation, United States, California, Speculative fiction, Comics

2016 establishments in California
2022 establishments in California
American companies established in 2016
American companies established in 2022
American film studios
Companies based in Burbank, California
Studios
Entertainment companies based in California
Film production companies of the United States
Mass media companies established in 2016
Mass media companies established in 2022
Television production companies of the United States
Warner Bros. divisions