James Gunn And Peter Safran Address Warner Bros.’ Sale To Netflix, As Their Contracts Get Extended Until 2027

As Warner Bros. prepares to be absorbed into Netflix in an eighty-two point seven billion dollar deal, the biggest question among comic-book fans and industry watchers is simple: What happens to DC Studios? What happens to James Gunn and Peter Safran?

via: CBM

The big question on comic book fans' minds regarding Warner Bros. Discovery's sale is: What will happen to DC Studios? There's been a lot of speculation about the future of the company, led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Shortly after Warner Bros. began fielding offers from Paramount and officially put itself up for sale, Gunn seemed to address a potential exit from the company.

Now, both the Superman director and Safran have addressed the company's sale process, providing a clearer picture of where they stand in terms of the ongoing transaction. Bloomberg did a profile on the DC Studios chiefs and their work building out the DCU. The piece revealed that Gunn and Safran's contracts are up in spring of 2027. When they were initially announced as DC Studios co-CEOs in 2022, The Hollywood Reporter stated their contracts were for four years, which meant they ended in or around October 2026. This appears to confirm their contracts were extended a few months. 

Such an extension isn't surprising, given how Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav had nothing but praise to give to Gunn and Safran while talking to Bloomberg. The CEO said: "The work of James and Peter, their creative vision, it's compelling and a great economic return. There's no storytelling content that we have that provides a bigger palette than DC, and there's nobody around right now who can tell these stories with the same imagination and excitement.

Now, would Warner Bros. Discovery's sale to Netflix impact the execs' tenure at the studio? Per Bloomberg, neither of them is "letting larger corporate goings-on alter their plans."Instead, they're focusing on delivering the best scripts possible. In mergers and acquisitions, jobs tend to shift or end outright. Yet, the duo doesn't seem worried about the future.

According to Peter Safran, James Gunn's creative mind gives them job security: "What makes us irreplaceable is truly the mind of James Gunn. He's been the architect of this grand vision." The Superman director then offered a shorter version of the sentiment shared by Safran, stating: "If you're gonna make a Batman movie, it better be f—ing awesome."

Seemingly addressing Netflix's deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, James Gunn stated that theatrical releases are "incredibly important" for the studio's output: "The communal, theatrical experience is something that is incredibly important and remarkably well suited to our big spectacle films."

Bloomberg further stated that Gunn and Safran's biggest success at the comic giant has been the synergy they've given to films, comics and gaming. It is difficult to assess how their positions at DC Studios could be impacted—if at all—given how new WBD's sale announcement is. However, things do appear to be looking good for the studios execs. Following the sale announcement, John Campea, from YouTube's The John Campea Show, stated he contacted a source regarding Gunn and Safran's future at the company:

"What they are clear on is that [Michael] DeLuca, co-Chair of Warner Bros. Films, is staying. Pam Abdy, also co-Chair of Warner Bros. Films is staying. [...] And then, of course, James Gunn. James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios is staying, leading the DC Universe creative." According to Campea, however, his source was not as clear on Peter Safran's fate: "What he said to me about about Peter Safran was, 'I don't know for sure, but I think it's kind of assumed.'"

The next installment in the DCU, Supergirl, will release in theaters on June 26, 2026.