Posted in: HBO, Max, Movies, TV | Tagged: dc studios, paramount

DC Studios: James Gunn & Peter Safran Met with Paramount's Ellison

Supergirl EP Lars P. Winther confirmed that DC Studios' James Gunn and Peter Safran met with Paramount Skydance head David Ellison.

Looking back, it's pretty amazing how much things have changed regarding Warner Bros. Discovery and who would end up owning it. Just when it appeared that Netflix would be the winner, David Ellison's Paramount Skydance swooped in with an offer backed by a whole lot of foreign money that the streamer didn't want to match. Though Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are close to completing their merger, there are still several domestic and global roadblocks in the way. But if the deal does go through, what would that mean for DC Studios' co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran?

In October 2025, Bloomberg reported, citing sources, that Ellison was looking to keep Warner Bros. Discovery intact if a merger is finalized, noting that he "wants to keep the creative teams of the two studios, while consolidating some of the marketing and distribution." That would mean Ellison would be looking to keep Gunn and Safran, and Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group's Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy (assuming they plan to stay after a completed merger). During a "blue carpet" premiere for DC Studios' Milly Alcock-starring Supergirl, executive producer Lars P. Winther confirmed that Ellison had met recently with Gunn and Safran while Gunn was filming the upcoming David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, and Nicholas Hoult-starring Man of Tomorrow. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Winther shared, "He came to Trilith [Studios] already. That's where we shoot all our movies that James directs. He came to Atlanta, we showed him everything, and we're having discussions with him. He's pretty open to what we're doing. We do have a slate and a lot of it — obviously, 'Clayface' is already coming out. We already have the 'Lanterns' TV show. On those things, the train's left the station. So we're good. But he's a big fan, he's been great with us. He's giving us kind of what we want. So far, everything's good."

Late last year, fans on social media wondered if Gunn was trying to send a message about the uncertainty of his future with WBD as merger news grew. During an interview with BobaTalks in October 2025, Gunn discussed how important the storyline details in Superman and Peacemaker Season 2 will be in leading into and impacting Lanterns, Man of Tomorrow, and the rest of the DCU moving forward. "If I s– Yes, they definitely go significantly further than 'Man of Tomorrow.' So, now, whether or not that'll be me that's able to fulfill that promise [laughs] depends on a lot of things in life, but yeah," Gunn responded. On its own, it read as if Gunn was taking the approach of not wanting to think too far in advance because you never know what might happen. But in light of ongoing merger/sale talks, Gunn's words (and especially his hesitation at the opening of his response) led some to believe that Gunn was already considering his all of his options.

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