Some industry insiders who spoke to TheWrap say the problems run deeper than one underperforming film. “All this is, is a Gunn and Safran production deal,” one DC insider said of DC Films’ current trajectory. “It’s not a brand. Announcing a universe was dumb. DC created an expectation and now you have delivered one Superman movie.”
With the Paramount-WBD merger looming, a top agent even questioned whether Gunn survives the fallout. “I don’t know how nervous DC is, but certainly James Gunn should be nervous,” the agent said. “There will always be a DC and the current execs have survived previous regime changes, but I don’t think Gunn survives.”
A Warner Bros. insider pushed back on concern over Gunn and Safran’s larger strategy or any potential leadership changes to be made by Ellison, reiterating that they have a 10-year DC plan and “Supergirl” was just a single-film miss. The insider said the studio is “disappointed” with the film’s performance, adding the character “didn’t connect.”
An individual with knowledge told TheWrap that DC is prioritizing a Bane/Deathstroke movie, but the project doesn’t have a director or cast lined up yet. And while “Man of Tomorrow” is due to hit theaters in July 2027, it remains to be seen how Ellison will survey the DC landscape if he takes over Warner Bros. and how heavily he may be inclined to shake things up.
