Currently, Peter Safran is one of the co-heads of DC Studios, working alongside James Gunn as the DC Universe franchise rounds into shape. However, he may soon have a different position, as he possibly could lead all of Warner Bros. Pictures. A report in Puck detailing the tumultuous tenure of WB heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy (who have overseen multiple projects that went over-budget) states Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is “leaning toward replacing them,” with Safran taking over the gig. However, it sounds like there are a lot of moving pieces right now, as there’s also speculation Zaslav “will initiate a search for new leadership” rather than promote from within.
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No official decisions about De Luca and Abdy’s future at Warner Bros. have been made. Robert Gibbs, Zaslav’s spokesperson, told Puck, “There is no truth to that rumor” when asked about possible behind-the-scenes changes at the studio.
Back in 2022, Gunn and Safran assumed their DC Studios positions, and shortly after a full slate of various movies and TV shows were announced. This summer’s Superman, directed by Gunn, is the first theatrical feature set in the DC Universe. Safran, a longtime producer, has worked on several notable projects over the years, including multiple installments in the DC Extended Universe and the Conjuring franchise.
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As WB looks to get the DC Universe off the ground smoothly, they are encountering other issues. Joker: Folie à Deux was an infamous, Razzie-winning box office bomb. Director Bong Joon-ho’s Mickey 17 was well-received, but it only grossed $19 million domestically in its opening weekend — a problem since the sci-fi film cost $118 million to make. The Puck report notes there are also concerns that other pricey titles on WB’s slate (including Ryan Coogler’s Sinners and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another) won’t be large enough box office draws to justify their expensive budgets.
Pulling Safran from DC Studios now would be a curious decision. He and Gunn are still in the process of ironing out the DC Universe lineup, with some announced projects already being put on the backburner. Given how important the DC Universe is to WB’s future, it arguably makes more sense to keep Safran in his current role as opposed to having the franchise go through a major transition so early in its run. If Safran shifted to the head of Warner Bros. Pictures as a whole, he wouldn’t be able to work as closely with Gunn as he has been. Injecting a different voice alongside Gunn could throw the DC Universe slate into a greater state of flux.
If the timing was different and the DC Universe was already established as a reliable moneymaker for WB, then perhaps there’d be a clearer path for Safran to assume this other role. Assuming De Luca and Abdy are soon to be out, Zaslav could wait to see how Superman performs before making his decision. If Gunn’s reboot is a rousing success and the DC Universe stabilizes, Safran could move on up the chain. Should Superman fall short of expectations, WB might be better served looking outside for help to get their theatrical slate back on track. Either way, it will be interesting to see what happens moving forward.
