James Gunn Teases the Future of the DCU After Netflix Purchase

Warner Bros. Discovery is about to find itself under new management. After a lengthy bidding process, Netflix has come out victorious, agreeing to purchase the legacy studio and all of its assets. There are already some hard feelings around the industry, namely, Paramount, which doesn’t believe it ever had a fair shot at getting a deal done. Apparently, Paramount plans to argue that its offer is far better than Netflix’s, but that process could take a while, and the streaming company isn’t waiting to take its victory lap. Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is already discussing the next steps, including what he plans to do with WBD’s upcoming theatrical releases.

As it stands, all signs point to WBD movies heading to theaters, at least for a short while. That’s undoubtedly good news for James Gunn and Peter Safran, who are hard at work building the DC Universe, which already has a couple of projects on the 2026 release calendar. According to Bloomberg, Gunn and Safran weren’t part of the negotiations with any of the bidders, but DC was a hot-button issue during meetings. With Netflix now emerging from the pack, Gunn is ready to talk about where his head is at as it pertains to the DCU’s future.

“The communal theatrical experience is something that is incredibly important & remarkably well suited to our big spectacle films,” he told Bloomberg.

And Gunn isn’t the only one singing that tune, with WBD CEO David Zaslav revealing that he believes the DCU doesn’t belong in a streaming box.

“The DC Universe is big enough and strong enough that it should be available on all platforms,” he said. “There are some stories that are important to be told in theaters around the world, and some stories that are important to be told as series.”

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The DCU Is Staying on Course – For Now

While Gunn will undoubtedly continue to field questions about what Netflix’s purchase of WBD means for both him and his franchise, the deal isn’t expected to go through until late 2026, after the DCU drops a couple of major projects in theaters. First up is Supergirl, which recently revealed the first look at its titular character’s suit. The film will take Kara Zor-El on an intergalactic adventure while also setting the stage for 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. In September, the franchise will move away from the Superman Saga by releasing Clayface, a villain origin story featuring its fair share of Batman Easter eggs.

While there are no guarantees in Hollywood, it feels like a safe bet that both of the DCU’s 2026 movies, as well as Man of Tomorrow, will head to theaters without any trouble. What happens after that is anyone’s guess. Still, Gunn and Co. have a golden oppurtunity to prove that their franchise is viable on the big screen and deserves to continue to go toe-to-toe with the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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