Formerly | DC Films (2016–2022) |
---|---|
Type | Subsidiary |
Industry | Film Television Animation |
Genre | Superhero fiction |
Founded | May 2016 |
Founder | Geoff Johns Jon Berg |
Headquarters | 4000 Warner Boulevard, , |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
|
Products | Motion pictures Television shows |
Brands | DC Extended Universe DCU |
Owner | Warner Bros. Discovery |
Parent | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Website | www.dc.com/movies |
Footnotes / references [1][2][3] |
DC Studios is an film and television studio that is a subsidiary of Warner Bros.,[4][5] a division of Warner Bros. Discovery dedicated to the production of films based on characters from DC Comics. Walter Hamada was the president of DC Films until his departure in October 2022,[6] working under and reporting directly to the co-CEOs and co-Chairpersons of Warner Bros. Pictures, Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy.[3][7] De Luca currently effectively runs the division and manages its films.[8] James Gunn and Peter Safran are set to assume control of the company, rebranded as DC Studios, on November 1, 2022.[9]
During DC's National era, the company licensed Batman and Superman (and other All-American Comics characters) to Republic Pictures and Columbia Pictures for advertising serials and shorts. Other comic characters, such as Fawcett Comics' Shazam and Quality Comics' Plastic Man (which ultimately sold to DC), also had a serial short.
After the release of the first feature-length Batman film, Kinney National Company (later Warner Communications) purchased National Comics Publication in 1967 and then Warner Bros.-Seven Arts in 1969. This purchase meant that the comic company's television and theatrical distribution turned over to Warner Bros. However, it would not take effect until the late 1980s (likely due to licensing deals) after the release of the Superman and Swamp Thing films. The Batman films once again marked a return to the big screen.
After the divisive reception of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros. Pictures made moves to stabilize the direction of the DC Extended Universe. The studio reorganized in May 2016 to have genre-responsible film executives, thus DC Entertainment franchise films under Warner Bros. were placed under a newly created division, DC Films, created under Warner Bros. executive vice president Jon Berg and DC Comics chief content officer Geoff Johns. This was done in hopes of competing more directly with Marvel Studios' Marvel Cinematic Universe. Johns also kept his existing role at DC Comics.[10] However, the division's formation was not designed to override the "director-driven" mandate.[11]
Justice League 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.[12] The DC Extended Universe operated under a "director-driven" mandate.[11] 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. has other franchises they can work with.[13] Despite this, in December the studio reiterated their current film slate for the unofficially titled DC Extended Universe.[14] That same month, Warner Bros. announced that a new strategy and organization of DC Films would occur with Berg leaving his position as studio's co-president of production to form a Warner Bros.-based production company with Roy Lee, the producer of The LEGO Movie and It. In January 2018, Warner Bros. executive Walter Hamada was appointed as new president of DC Films, to oversee the films in the DC Extended Universe. Hamada has been closely associated with New Line Cinema, and helped develop horror films, such as It and The Conjuring film franchises.[15]
In April 2022, after the merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. to form Warner Bros. Discovery, 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.[16] 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.[17][18]
When the release of the film Batgirl was canceled by Warner Bros. Discovery in August, Hamada was reportedly 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 at least until Black Adam's release.[19] 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.[20][21] In September, Lin and Warner Bros. Discovery ended negotiations and agreed to part ways.[22] During Black Adam’s 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.[23] Later that month, it was reported that De Luca had been effectively running DC Films in place of Walter Hamada.[8] On October 19, Hamada departed from the company, just two days before the release of Black Adam.[24]
In October 2022, it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran would serve as the co-CEOs/co-Chairmen of the studio which will be rebranded as "DC Studios" moving forward. The duo will oversee production on films, television, and animation under the DC label, reporting directly to David Zaslav, while also working alongside but independently of heads of other divisions. Gunn will oversee the creative development of DC projects, aside from Joker: Folie a Deux, which will remain under De Luca and Abdy's supervision. It is unclear whether Gunn and Safran will have influence over The Batman (film) universe. Gunn and Safran's roles begin effective November 1, 2022.[9]
Further information: List of DC Extended Universe films and List of films based on DC Comics publications |
# | Title | U.S. release date |
Director(s) | Co-production companies | Franchise | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Released | ||||||
1 | Suicide Squad | August 5, 2016 | David Ayer | Warner Bros. Pictures and Atlas Entertainment | DC Extended Universe | — |
2 | Wonder Woman | June 2, 2017 | Patty Jenkins | Warner Bros. Pictures, Atlas Entertainment and Cruel and Unusual Films | ||
3 | Justice League | November 17, 2017 | Zack Snyder Joss Whedon[a] |
Warner Bros. Pictures, RatPac-Dune Entertainment,[b] Atlas Entertainment and Cruel and Unusual Films | ||
4 | Aquaman | December 21, 2018 | James Wan | The Safran Company | ||
5 | Shazam! | April 5, 2019 | David F. Sandberg | New Line Cinema, The Safran Company and Seven Bucks Productions | ||
6 | Joker | October 4, 2019 | Todd Phillips | Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Bron Creative and Joint Effort Productions | Joker film series | |
7 | Birds of Prey[c] | February 7, 2020 | Cathy Yan | Warner Bros. Pictures, LuckyChap Entertainment, Kroll & Co. Entertainment and Clubhouse Productions | DC Extended Universe | |
8 | Wonder Woman 1984 | December 25, 2020 | Patty Jenkins | Warner Bros. Pictures, Atlas Entertainment and The Stone Quarry | ||
9 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | March 18, 2021 | Zack Snyder | Warner Bros. Pictures, Atlas Entertainment and The Stone Quarry | HBO Max exclusive | |
10 | The Suicide Squad | August 5, 2021 | James Gunn | Atlas Entertainment and The Safran Company | — | |
11 | The Batman | March 4, 2022 | Matt Reeves | Warner Bros. Pictures, 6th & Idaho and Dylan Clark Productions | The Batman shared universe | |
12 | Black Adam | October 21, 2022 | Jaume Collet-Serra | New Line Cinema, Seven Bucks Productions and FlynnPictureCo.[30] | DC Extended Universe | |
Upcoming | ||||||
13 | Shazam! Fury of the Gods | March 17, 2023 | David F. Sandberg | New Line Cinema, The Safran Company, Seven Bucks Productions | DC Extended Universe | Post-production |
14 | The Flash | June 23, 2023 | Andy Muschietti | Warner Bros. Pictures, The Disco Factory and Double Dream | ||
15 | Blue Beetle | August 18, 2023 | Angel Manuel Soto | Atlas Entertainment, The Safran Company and S&K Pictures | ||
16 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom | December 25, 2023 | James Wan | The Safran Company, Atomic Monster Productions | ||
17 | Joker: Folie à Deux | October 4, 2024 | Todd Phillips | Joint Effort and Bron Creative | Joker film series | Pre-production |
In development | ||||||
Black Canary | TBA | TBA | DC Extended Universe | HBO Max exclusive[31][32][33] | ||
Static Shock | TBA | TBA | Milestone Media and Outlier Society Productions | TBA | — | |
Green Lantern Corps | TBA | TBA | DC Extended Universe | |||
Untitled third Wonder Woman film[34] | TBA | Patty Jenkins | ||||
Untitled Man of Steel sequel[35] | TBA | TBA | ||||
Untitled The Flash sequel[35] | TBA | TBA | ||||
Untitled Superman film[35] | TBA | TBA | Bad Robot Productions | TBA | ||
Untitled The Batman sequel[36] | TBA | Matt Reeves | 6th & Idaho and Dylan Clark Productions | The Batman shared universe |
Further information: DC Extended Universe § Television series |
Series | Aired | Showrunner | Co-production companies | Franchise | Original network | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Peacemaker | January 13, 2022 | James Gunn | The Safran Company, Troll Court Entertainment | DC Extended Universe | HBO Max | Spin-off of The Suicide Squad Season 2 onwards |
Upcoming | ||||||
Constantine | TBA | TBA | Bad Robot Productions | DC Extended Universe | HBO Max | In development[37][38][39] |
Justice League Dark | TBA | TBA | ||||
Madame X | TBA | TBA | ||||
The Penguin | TBA | Lauren LeFranc | 6th & Idaho | The Batman shared universe | Miniseries order[40][41] | |
Untitled Amanda Waller series | TBA | Christal Henry | The Safran Company, Troll Court Entertainment | DC Extended Universe | In development[42][43][44][45] | |
Untitled Arkham series | TBA | TBA | 6th & Idaho | The Batman shared universe | ||
Dead Boy Detectives | TBA | Steve Yockey | Berlanti Productions | TBA | ||
Green Lantern | TBA | TBA | Berlanti Productions Mad Ghost Productions |
TBA | ||
Untitled Val-Zod series | TBA | Darnell Metayer Josh Peters |
Outlier Society | TBA | ||
Justice U | TBA | Michael Narducci Zoanne Clack |
TBA | Arrowverse |
# | Title | U.S. release date |
Director(s) | Co-production companies | Franchise | Release format | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Upcoming | |||||||
1 | Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen, Part One | 2023 | Kerry Shawcross Eddy Rivas |
Warner Bros. Animation Rooster Teeth |
RWBY | Direct-to-video | In development[46][47][48][49][50] |
2 | Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham | TBA | Warner Bros. Animation | TBA | |||
3 | Legion of Super-Heroes | Jeff Wamester | DC Rebirth | ||||
4 | Justice League: Warworld | TBA | |||||
TBA | Metal Men | TBA | TBA | Warner Animation Group | TBA | Theatrical | |
TBA | Merry Little Batman | TBA | Mike Roth | Warner Bros. Animation | TBA | Television | |
TBA | Untitled Milestone film | TBA | TBA | TBA | Direct-to-video |
Series | Aired | Showrunner(s) | Co-production companies | Franchise | Original network | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Teen Titans Go! | April 23, 2013 | Michael Jelenic Aaron Horvath |
Warner Bros. Animation | Teen Titans GO! | Cartoon Network | Season 8 onwards |
Harley Quinn | November 29, 2019 | Justin Halpern Patrick Schumacker Dean Lorey |
Warner Bros. Animation Yes, Norman Productions Ehsugadee Productions |
Harley Quinn | HBO Max | Season 4 onwards |
Batwheels | September 17, 2022 | Michael G. Stern | Warner Bros. Animation Bang Zoom Ltd. |
TBA | Cartoon Network HBO Max |
Episode 9 onwards |
Upcoming | ||||||
Batman: Caped Crusader | 2023 | Bruce Timm J.J. Abrams Matt Reeves |
Warner Bros. Animation Bad Robot Productions 6th & Idaho |
TBA | TBA | In development[51][52][53][54][55] |
My Adventures with Superman | TBA | Warner Bros. Animation | TBA | Cartoon Network HBO Max | ||
Untitled The Night Begins to Shine series | TBA | TBA | Warner Bros. Animation | Teen Titans Go! | Cartoon Network | |
Noonan's | TBA | Justin Halpern Patrick Schumacker Dean Lorey |
Warner Bros. Animation Yes, Norman Productions Ehsugadee Productions |
Harley Quinn | HBO Max | |
Legion of Superheroes | TBA | TBA | Warner Bros. Animation | TBA |