The entertainment world was dealt an unexpected shock recently. Netflix has entered into a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Should the $82.7 billion go through, it would mean that the DC Universe will be in the hands of the largest streaming service in the world. So what does that mean for the DCU going forward? Will DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran remain in place?
In a recent piece by Bloomberg, the future came into focus a bit. The new DCU kicked off with Creature Commandos last year. It really got going more earnestly with Superman on the big screen over the summer. Gunn and Safran have big plans for the universe. But how will those plans change if Netflix is in charge? Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav weighed in on the benefits of DC in the piece.
“The work of James and Peter, their creative vision, it’s compelling and a great economic return. There’s no storytelling content that we have that provides a bigger palette than DC, and there’s nobody around right now who can tell these stories with the same imagination and excitement.”
“The DC universe is big enough and strong enough that it should be available on all platforms,” Zaslav added. “There are some stories that are important to be told in theaters around the world, and some stories that are important to be told as series.”
Gunn previously promised that future DC movies will be in theaters longer than Superman. Though Netflix has said it will keep Warner Bros. movies in theaters, it’s likely they would want them to go to Netflix sooner. That could mean a movie like The Batman Part II would be a Netflix exclusive after just a few weeks in theaters.
Supergirl, which hits theaters next summer, would be unaffected. The deal wouldn’t close until the end of next year at the earliest. As a result, next fall’s Clayface movie would also not be impacted. There are also shows like Lanterns that are in the hopper that would go to HBO as planned. Beyond that? Things might be up in the air.
“You should think about ways that you can explore all these IP universes beyond that of just making tentpole movies,” Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said. “Examples would be some of the earlier moves from the DC universe for things like ‘Penguin’ has turned into great television.”
For now, WB, Gunn and Safran have to operate as planned. There are lots of moving pieces currently in place, such as casting a new Batman for The Brave and the Bold. Netflix, should they gain control, will likely have some ideas of their own but that bridge will need to be crossed when we get to it.
Supergirl hits theaters on June 26, 2026.
What do you think? Would you like the future of the DC Universe to be on Netflix? Or would you prefer Warner Bros. to maintain control independently? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
