James Gunn Out At DC With Warner Bros. Sale (Exclusive)

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After reports of disappointing box office numbers for *Superman* and a negative fan reaction to Season 2 of *Peacemaker*, I contacted my sources to find out how James Gunn’s DC Universe is doing.

Basically, James Gunn is expected to leave his position leading the DC Universe if Warner Bros. Discovery is sold. Sources say that if David Ellison’s Skydance Paramount buys WBD, Mike De Luca will take over DC and completely reboot the universe.

More below.

James Gunn recently stated he’s taking complete creative control over DC. I found that surprising, because when you’re creating a new shared universe, you’d generally want to ensure it appeals to the audience.

Neither *Creature Commandos* nor *Peacemaker* are performing well in terms of viewership, according to Nielsen ratings. They haven’t attracted a large audience, and James Gunn’s statement that *Peacemaker* Season 2 was intended to connect directly to his *Superman* movie appears to be untrue.

Superman didn’t connect well with audiences outside of the US, and it earned significantly less money than Zack Snyder’s previous film, Man of Steel.

Gunn’s approach to the DCU has been all about divisive messaging. It’s splitting the fan base.

I believe James Gunn is making big moves at DC because he anticipates his time there is limited. It seems he’s prioritizing securing generous deals for his friends and family before Warner Bros. Discovery potentially sells the company.

That’s means when a sale goes through, James Gunn is out.

So I reached out to my Hollywood insiders. Here’s what I am told.

There’s been a shake-up at Warner Bros. with Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy stepping down. According to a report in *Deadline*, this is due to the potential sale of Warner Bros. Discovery to David Ellison. Current WBD CEO David Zaslav is reportedly making personnel changes to align with Ellison’s preferences, and it appears Ellison wants De Luca and Abdy to continue leading Warner Bros.’ film division.

James Gunn has shifted away from his initial plan for a ‘Gods and Monsters’ storyline and is now focusing on what he calls a ‘Superman Family’ saga, which is entirely his creation. The ‘Gods and Monsters’ idea seems to have been abandoned because Gunn realizes he has a limited time to launch projects before the company is sold. I’ve also heard that delays with DCU projects are happening because Gunn is heavily involved, and filmmakers are wanting to pursue their own creative visions rather than follow his. Apparently, many talented directors in Hollywood are avoiding DC, Marvel, and Star Wars, preferring to work on original ideas instead. Zack Snyder is reportedly content with his independent projects, but would consider returning to DC for one final film: an adaptation of *The Dark Knight Returns*.

I’m told that if Warner Bros. gets sold – that whoever buys it – wants a completely new start.

Although reports suggest Skydance is interested in buying Warner Bros. Discovery, sources say Universal (owned by Comcast) is still a potential bidder. Universal has reportedly been interested in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery for several years.

So, I’m hearing some interesting stuff – if David Ellison ends up buying Warner Bros. Discovery, James Gunn might be gone. Apparently, Ellison’s dad, a really wealthy guy, has a close relationship with Donald Trump, and that’s what’s fueling all the speculation.

So Peacemaker isn’t getting a Season 3, and Gunn “lied about a family friendly approach to DC.”

Apparently, only Gunn knows what’s going on with him, but his behavior suggests what the outcome might be.

It’s become really clear to me – and James Gunn has even admitted it – that he’s completely calling the shots at DC right now. I think he knows that once the sale goes through, his vision for the DC Universe won’t survive, so he’s doing everything he can while he still has control.

Back to David Ellison, I’m told Mike De Luca will take over DC.

As I previously shared, sources told me the original plan for *The Flash* was quite different from what we ultimately saw. Apparently, Warner Bros. Discovery’s leadership, specifically De Luca, aimed to revive Zack Snyder’s DC Universe. This would have included bringing back Henry Cavill as Superman and Ben Affleck as Batman, potentially leading to a Batman-focused multiverse storyline. However, James Gunn altered these plans.

All of that was cancelled when James Gunn became head of DCU. I believe Gunn was aware Warner Bros. Discovery was going to be sold, and Zaslav gave him full control to boost DC content before the sale. The goal seems to be to make WBD look more appealing to potential buyers.

Sources say James De Luca and DC Studios won’t be continuing Zack Snyder’s established cinematic universe, as everyone involved is focused on new projects. Instead, they’ll be launching a fresh DC Universe with David Ellison and Skydance, and I predict it will emphasize classic Superman themes of ‘Truth, Justice, and the American Way.’

Considering James Gunn’s past interactions with conservative groups, it’s probably no surprise what his plans are for the DC Universe. He seems to be making everything clear before Warner Bros. Discovery is sold.

I was so impressed to learn about Mike De Luca’s eye for talent! He discovered David S. Goyer, the creative mind behind films like *Blade*, *Man of Steel*, and the incredible *Dark Knight Trilogy*. Beyond that, Mike was also instrumental in bringing *Sinners and Weapons* to life and really built up *The Conjuring* franchise. And let’s not forget *Minecraft* – he oversaw that too! He’s clearly worked on some amazing projects.

According to sources, he’s incredibly knowledgeable about film, history, and world events, and he’s also a passionate comic book enthusiast.

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2025-10-12 00:02