- Variety reported on Thursday that
Warner Bros. Discovery is looking to "overhaul" DC. - The new company wants to revitalize underused characters like Superman, according to Variety.
Some big changes could be coming to the home of Batman and Wonder Woman.
Variety reported on Thursday that the comics and
DC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Feige is the creative chief for DC's biggest competitor, Marvel, overseeing the direction of its movies, comics, and TV. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was eyeing former Paramount Pictures exec Emma Watts for the role, according to Variety, though she isn't expected to take it.
Warner Bros. Discovery also wants to revitalize popular characters that DC has ignored in recent years, such as Superman, Variety reported.
Actor Henry Cavill's Superman film franchise was stalled after negative response to "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and the theatrical cut of "Justice League," the latter of which drastically disappointed at the box office. However, author Ta-Nehisi Coates is writing a Superman movie for Warner Bros. that would feature a Black Superman.
The comics industry is hoping Warner Bros. Discovery brings prolonged stability to DC
DC was rocked by major disruptions over the last few years during the AT&T era. 20% of its staff was cut in 2020, and that same year, its comics line was greatly reduced.
Comics industry insiders worried that the comics side of the company was being undermined, and were dismayed by the direction of the company in recent years. Comics professionals recently told Insider that they were hoping for stability under Warner Bros. Discovery.
"Anything that stabilizes the industry and promotes good comics and product would be a welcome advancement," one comics industry source said.
Milton Griepp — the founder and CEO of ICv2, an online publication that covers the comics business — recently told Insider that DC had "doubled down" on key characters like Batman since the comics print reduction, which he called "damaging to long-term IP development."
So, if Warner Bros. Discovery wants to shine the spotlight on other characters, it could be in DC's best interest. DC will be essential for the new company, both in movie theaters and in the streaming space. "The Batman" has earned nearly $740 million worldwide, and a TV spinoff is in the works for HBO Max. That's just one of the upcoming DC film and TV projects on the docket.
But it remains to be seen whether any changes Zaslav may make to DC would bring the stability the comics industry is looking for, or lead to more disruptions.