DC Studios is heading towards the proposed Paramount and Warner Bros. merger with its current leadership intact. Paramount CEO David Ellison has announced that the combined business will be called Skydance, while Paramount, Warner Bros. and their major brands will remain visible under the new corporate structure.
The deal is valued at $110 billion and is considered close to completion. Ellison said the Skydance name would give the merged company its own identity without removing the established brands from the spotlight.
For DC fans, the key development is that James Gunn and Peter Safran will continue running DC Studios after meeting successfully with Ellison. Further details on the agreement indicate that the division’s film and television plans are not expected to undergo major immediate changes.
That continuity will be welcome news for audiences who have responded positively to much of DC Studios’ recent work. However, the wider merger has also prompted concern because the Ellison family, which has close ties to the Trump administration, will have significant influence within an increasingly consolidated entertainment industry.
DC Studios’ current film slate
James Gunn is working on Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to 2025’s Superman. Production finished in August, with the follow-up scheduled for release on July 9, 2027.
Two films have so far arrived in the newly established DC Universe. Superman earned $619.7 million and ranked among Warner Bros.’ highest-grossing films of 2025. Supergirl was less successful at the cinema this year, taking $126.4 million.
The next major release is Clayface, a lower-budget horror film written by genre specialist Mike Flanagan. It is due in cinemas on Oct. 23, shortly before Halloween.
Upcoming DC films and television series
The planned film lineup also includes The Brave and the Bold, a Batman project directed by Andy Muschietti, and Swamp Thing from James Mangold. An unnamed Wonder Woman film remains in development.
DC Studios has also built momentum on television with well-received series such as Creature Commandos, Peacemaker and Lanterns. The latter is currently one of the most-watched shows on television.
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DC Studios therefore enters the proposed Skydance era with Gunn and Safran still in charge and a sizeable slate of films and series ahead. The creative direction appears stable for now, but the merger’s longer-term impact will depend on how the new corporate structure manages the DC brand.
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