It seems that the hunt for a new head of DC Films is still underway at Warner Bros. Discovery, but some scuttlebutt suggests that it may only be a matter of treading water at the moment.
According to a new piece from The Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is still hunting for a new head of DC Films. Dan Lin was confirmed to have been in the mix, but the deal fell part over his production company, Rideback. Reportedly the only reason that name got out was that consultant Alan Horn is still following COVID-19 protocols and asked for the meeting to be held outside. That was when Lin was spotted meeting with them.
Finding the new head may be difficult, however. “Zaslav doesn’t know what he doesn’t know,” one talent rep told THR. “That’s scary. And you’re always going to be compared to Marvel. It’s unfair. By the time they were being judged, it was working. It’s the exact opposite at Warner. It’s rough all around. Who the fuck would want that job?”
Michael De Luca and Pam Addy currently are serving as co-chairs, and there is now some speculation that they may end up continuing to run the division by default.
Where things get really interesting, however, is the fact that multiple analysts are now commenting that everything that is happening is to merely prepare Warner Bros. Discovery for another potential sale. “Obviously Peacock sucks,” one exec with knowledge of both companies told THR. “There are some good synergies. I’m sure [Comcast’s Brian Roberts] is licking his chops because the [WBD] stock is so low. And I think that’s Zaslav’s endgame. Get the place sold.”
A potential sale to NBCU would face a host of antitrust issues, but even if it's not them that come knocking there has been a lot of chatter about other potential buyers.
Thanks to the current WBD agreement, no talks can begin with any other parties until April 2024, but don't be surprised if they do start immediately following that cut off.
