Beginning on November 1, Peter Safran and James Gunn will serve as the co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios, but the filmmaker is under no illusions that his new position would put him in competition with Marvel Studios. Recently, the director used social media to dispel any rumors that the two comic book studios were at odds with one another. Gunn also expressed his appreciation for Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, with whom he has collaborated on three “Guardians of the Galaxy” motion pictures and one “Guardians” television special.
Not only do I love Kevin [Feige], but he was the first person I told after I made the deal with DC (John Cena was the second),” Gunn said in a letter to the fans. Contrary to common assumption, a dollar spent less on Marvel does not result in a dollar spent more on DC. Keeping the theater experience lively and alive is a shared goal between DC and Marvel!
Following the news that Gunn had been hired by DC Studios, Feige also showed his support for him. “Fully, he has a lot of work to do for Marvel between now and May, which he’s well aware of,” Feige said to Deadline on the red carpet this week at the world premiere of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. I’ll be the first in line to watch everything he does after that, though.
While Gunn’s DC position starts on November 1st, he still has two Marvel films in the works: “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” premieres on Disney+ on November 25th, and his trilogy-closing “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” hits theaters on May 5th, 2023.
In their new roles, Gunn and Safran will supervise film, TV, and animation at DC Studios and will answer to David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery. Along with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, the co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Film Group, they will collaborate closely with one another. Both are anticipated to carry on working on additional projects away from Washington, DC.
In a joint statement following the announcement, Gunn and Safran said, “We’re pleased to be the caretakers of these DC characters we’ve loved since we were children.” “We are looking forward to working with the world’s best actors, directors, and writers to build a cohesive, multifaceted universe while yet allowing for the individual expression of the artists involved.”
James Gunn about Kevin Feige:
