James Gunn and Peter Safran Explain Why Warner Bros. Skydance Merger Is Good News for the DCU's Future
The DC Universe is entering a new era under Skydance, and James Gunn and Peter Safran are feeling pretty good about what comes next. With a growing slate of DC movies and TV shows already in motion, the DC Studios bosses believe the Warner Bros. Skydance merger could give them even more freedom and resources to bring their ambitious plans to life.
While attending the red carpet premiere of their upcoming DC horror movie Clayface, Gunn and Safran spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about the merger and what it means for the future of the DCU.
Safran explained that he and Gunn have spent the past four years developing a larger interconnected story, and they're excited to have the backing to see it through.
“It’s exciting. James and I had this bigger story that we wanted to tell when we started four years ago. We were just getting started telling it, so the fact that we now have the opportunity to do so with even more resources at our fingertips, with an even greater reach, is really exciting for us. There’s a lot coming up.”
One of the biggest reasons for their optimism is Skydance CEO David Ellison, who has apparently been very supportive of their vision. According to Safran, Ellison didn't just ask them to stay on. He also wanted to understand where they planned to take DC Studios over the next several years.
“We just feel there’s a lot more going on that we want to dive into. And so we were thrilled that David Ellison invited us to continue. We really took him into the tent and talked about where we see it going over the next number of years so he’s got a really good sense of what we want to do, and he seems to be embracing that idea.”
Gunn confirmed that Ellison has been fully brought into the loop, including some of the biggest secrets surrounding the DCU's future.
“David knows everything. We told David long ago, and went through what the basic plan was. When he first brought us in and said he wanted to continue on with what we were doing, we told him all that we wanted to do [and talked] about what was happening, the secrets, where was the DCU going, and what was going to happen from Man of Tomorrow on.”
That's encouraging news for DC fans who have been following Gunn and Safran's plans since they took over DC Studios. Corporate mergers can bring major changes to a studio's creative direction, but it sounds like Ellison is happy to let the duo continue building the DCU they've envisioned.
There's also plenty happening at DC Studios right now. Superman and Supergirl have already hit theaters, while the HBO series Lanterns has completed its first season.
Next up is Clayface, which arrives in theaters on October 23, 2026. The film marks DC's first R-rated horror movie and should offer something very different from the superhero adventures we've seen so far.
Gunn is also busy with post-production on Man of Tomorrow, his highly anticipated Superman sequel, which is scheduled to arrive on July 9, 2027.
Outside the main DCU continuity, The Batman: Part II is currently in production, with Steven Soderbergh assisting Matt Reeves on the project. The sequel, starring Robert Pattinson, is scheduled to hit theaters on February 18, 2028.
DC Studios also has the true-crime mockumentary series The People v. Gorilla Grodd in production, another project that shows just how many different directions the studio is willing to explore.
For fans, the biggest takeaway is that the Warner Bros. Skydance merger doesn't appear to be disrupting the DCU's long-term plans. If anything, Gunn and Safran believe it could help them accomplish more.
Of course, the real test will be how that support translates to the movies and shows themselves. But with Ellison apparently on board with their vision, Gunn and Safran seem ready to keep moving forward.