James Gunn Sets the Record Straight on Warner Bros.–Netflix Deal as His DCU Contract Is Extended
Amid reports of a Netflix takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, James Gunn is mapping the DC Universe’s next chapter. With his and Peter Safran’s DC Studios deal extended through 2027, he’s emphasizing theatrical priorities and how a Netflix tie-up could recalibrate their long-term plan.
James Gunn is finally saying out loud what a lot of fans have been wondering: with all the noise about Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix, what happens to DC? Short version: he is still ride-or-die for theaters, his and Peter Safran's deals just got extended, and the slate is moving ahead.
The deal everyone is buzzing about
Amid reporting that Warner Bros. Discovery is being sold to Netflix, Gunn and Safran sat for a new profile and put a stake in the ground. They were not part of the sale negotiations, but DC was reportedly front and center for bidders, which tracks. Before any of those sale headlines, the studio had already quietly extended the pair's contracts: instead of expiring around October 2026, they now run into spring 2027.
WBD chief David Zaslav is clearly pleased with the arrangement. He praised Gunn and Safran's vision as both creatively compelling and good business, and said nothing else in the company's library offers a bigger canvas than DC. Translation: this is the crown jewel, and they want these guys steering it.
"The communal, theatrical experience is something that is incredibly important and remarkably well suited to our big spectacle films."
So what does that mean for DC?
Gunn and Safran say the broader corporate chess match is not changing their plan. Safran framed their edge as Gunn's brain for big-picture worldbuilding, and Gunn's own bar for the brand is blunt: if you make a Batman movie under their watch, it has to clear a high bar or it does not happen. The read here is simple: even if Netflix ends up owning the studio, Gunn is planting the flag on theatrical-first DC tentpoles.
What is actually on the calendar
The pipeline is still moving, with some specific dates in play. These are the timeframes cited in the profile and, as always, dates can shift:
- Lanterns (HBO) - aiming for early 2026
- Supergirl - dated for June 26
- Clayface (R-rated) - dated for September 11
- Man of Tomorrow (Gunn) - production targeted to start in April 2026
The takeaway
Contract extended to 2027, slate intact, and a very public vote for the big screen. The odd, behind-the-scenes wrinkle is obvious: the talk of Netflix buying WBD while the DC bosses double down on theatrical. But whether or not that deal actually closes, Gunn and Safran are treating DC like a movie-first brand with TV as support, not the other way around.