Will James Gunn Continue as Head of DC Studios? Bloomberg Alleges Paramount to Keep WB Creative Teams Intact if Sale Goes Through

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If Paramount buys Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), it’s unclear whether James Gunn will remain in charge of DC Studios. There’s a lot of disagreement and uncertainty about what this potential sale means for Gunn and the future of DC’s movies and TV shows.

Hollywood is buzzing with talk of a major deal. According to a report in Bloomberg, David Ellison’s company, Paramount Skydance, is planning to largely maintain the current structure of Warner Bros. Discovery if their merger is approved.

The news is welcome for many in Hollywood, which has recently seen numerous layoffs and company changes. Bloomberg reports that Larry Ellison aims to keep the creative teams at Paramount and Warner Bros. intact, while combining their marketing, distribution, and streaming departments. This is meant to reassure those working in creative roles, but the lack of information about one specific part of Warner Bros. is causing concern.

The announcement didn’t include any information about DC Studios, the upcoming Superman: Legacy movie, or the future role of James Gunn as head of DC.

Bloomberg’s “Stay Calm” Strategy

According to a recent report from Bloomberg, David Ellison is taking a different approach to filmmaking than Disney. While Disney seems to be scaling back, Ellison wants to produce more movies and remains committed to releasing them in theaters. As the son of Oracle’s co-founder, Larry Ellison, he’s known for successful franchises like Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible. If the merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. goes through, he’s aiming for a very large output of around 30 films each year.

The plan suggests combining HBO Max and Paramount+ into one streaming service, offering all their shows and movies in one place. The companies would also continue to operate popular channels like Nickelodeon, MTV, and CNN. Plus, news divisions from both companies – CBS News and CNN – could work together and share resources.

The report uses reassuring language, like promising to ‘keep creative teams intact,’ but experienced people in the industry understand this often means only some teams will initially avoid cuts.

The Missing DC Chapter

That’s where the alarm bells start ringing for fans of DC.

Despite a lot of reporting, Bloomberg hasn’t mentioned DC Studios or James Gunn. This is surprising, given how important DC is to Warner Bros. It’s a major part of the company—essentially, it is Warner Bros.’ superhero brand and the foundation of their movie universe.

As Cosmic Book News observed, James Gunn’s promise to support creative teams might not extend to the business side of DC Studios. Gunn has previously stated he wasn’t certain about his role after the release of Man of Tomorrow in 2027.

A merger between Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount could jeopardize the independence of DC Studios. There’s already talk in the industry that DC might be re-integrated into Warner Bros. Pictures, and be overseen by Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, who previously had their own plans for DC before James Gunn and Peter Safran were put in charge by David Zaslav.

Why Gunn Might Stay — and Why He Might Not

There are good reasons to believe James Gunn’s job is safe. The recent Bloomberg report highlighted the importance of consistently producing creative content, and it seems that Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav appreciates that. Despite some box office disappointments, DC Comics is still a well-known brand, and removing the person in charge of its current plans could create unwanted disruption.

Still, history offers a warning.

After Disney bought 20th Century Fox in 2019, many departments were eliminated, even though they initially said they would protect the creative teams. Now, Paramount Skydance is also laying off about 1,000 employees as they reorganize. Plus, Taylor Sheridan, the creator of Yellowstone, will be moving to Universal in 2028, which shows that promises of job security for creatives often don’t hold up after a company merger.

If David Ellison follows through with his plan to produce 30 movies each year using AI technology, Warner Bros. will likely change significantly, and some creative leaders may not remain with the company.

The Bigger Picture: Expansion or Erasure?

Ellison’s approach to buying companies centers around expansion – he aims to add to existing properties rather than scale them back. While this seems positive for both movie creators and established franchises, it often results in changes to what already exists, rather than simply building upon it.

James Gunn’s new direction for the DC Universe has sparked a lot of debate. Some loved the unique style of Peacemaker, while others weren’t so sure about the recent Superman movie. This has led to questions about whether his creative choices are connecting with viewers or just causing confusion. A new owner of DC might see a complete reboot or a change in leadership as a fast way to revitalize the brand and appeal to potential investors.

I’ve been following the news about James Gunn and DC, and while Bloomberg hasn’t said it directly, I can’t picture Oracle’s Larry Ellison overlooking such a valuable part of Warner Bros. Discovery. I think whether people see Gunn as a real benefit or a potential problem will probably come down to how well Superman: Legacy does – both in terms of how much money it makes and what critics think of it.

Final Thoughts: The Calm Before the Cut

So, Will James Gunn’s continue as the head of DC Studios? Is his future really safe?

For now, maybe.

The recent article in Bloomberg tries to present a calm outlook, likely to prevent alarm in Hollywood before any merger takes place. However, mergers often lead to significant changes. While Larry Ellison might maintain the existing creative groups, it doesn’t necessarily protect leaders who are controversial from being replaced.

If the new Supergirl and Man of Tomorrow movies are successful, James Gunn could become an essential part of DC Studios. However, if they don’t perform well, the leaders at Paramount and Warner Bros. might consider bringing DC Studios back under their direct control and starting over with a new approach.

The future of the DC Universe might be shaped by someone other than the person currently in charge.

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2025-10-29 21:01