DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns will co-run the newly created DC Films in a shake-up of Warner Bros.’ executive structure for DC-related films, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The reorganization was triggered by the performance of Batman v Superman, which although it’s currently at nearly $900 million worldwide, drew fan and critical vitriol and dropped off quickly after a big opening weekend (see "Number One with a 'Sinker'"). Johns has been successful at managing DC’s TV shows, and will bring a stronger comics sensibility to Warners’ movies, which have drifted in tone and character from their source material. And Warner Bros. is comparing the performance of Batman v Superman, stalled at around $870 million, with Captain America: Civil War, which is now at $941 million worldwide after its second U.S. weekend (see "'Captain America: Civil War' on Cruise Control").
Johns will continue to report to DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson (who also runs Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment), and his duties will continue to include managing the "DC Rebirth" comics content and DC’s television shows.
Johns will share executive duties at DC Films with Jon Berg, a film executive already tasked with Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, Wonder Woman, and Justice League. Berg will continue to report to Warner Bros. Pictures President Greg Silverman. Berg has strong connections with Ben Affleck, who plays Batman and was recently given an executive producer role on Justice League, from their work together on Argo and Live by Night.
Johns and Berg will become producers on the Justice League movies as part of their new roles.
Warners is also making other changes on its films; the studio recently parted ways with The Flash director Seth Grahame-Smith (see "Director Leaving 'The Flash' Movie"), and has reshot sections of Suicide Squad to alter the tone (see "'Suicide Squad' Sent Up for Reshoots"). Suicide Squad is reportedly the first DC film with greater Johns involvement.
The studio is using the new structure across other film groupings, assigning Courtenay Valenti to oversee Lego and Harry Potter films, Jesse Ehrman on comedy/family films, and Niija Kuykendall on sci-fi/action films. The difference in the case of DC Films is the two-headed management structure, which pairs an experienced film executive with someone with a comics background. The working relationship between the two will obviously be key to a more successful DC slate.
In Wake of 'Batman v Superman'
Posted by Milton Griepp on May 18, 2016 @ 1:29 am CT