The past year may have been a turbulent one for DC Films president Walter Hamada, but it looks like parent company Warner Bros. still trusts him to captain the DC Films ship as his time with the company has been extended.
Variety reports that Hamada’s contract with DC Films is being extended to 2023. Hamada has been in charge of DC Films since 2018, putting out some of the studio’s biggest hits like Aquaman and Shazam! Aquaman was particularly successful, drawing in $1.4 billion worldwide in box office returns.
Hamada has also recently revealed future plans for the DC Films slate of superheroes. Plans include spinoff movies as well as spinoff series on streaming service HBO Max. Some characters brought up for these projects include Static Shock and Batgirl.
Of course, Hamada’s tenure as DC Films president has not always been smooth sailing. His most public challenge has been Justice League actor Ray Fisher’s feud with the studio and its handling of his allegations of abuse against director Joss Whedon.
Fisher recently announced that he would no longer be working with DC Films. Fisher had called Hamada dangerous and an “enabler” that allegedly impeded the Warner Bros. investigation into his allegations against Whedon.
According to Fisher, Hamada threw Whedon and former Warner Bros. co-president of production Jon Berg under the bus so as to protect former DC Entertainment president and chief creative officer, Geoff Johns.
Fisher also retweeted a New York TIme story detailing Hamada’s plans for the DC Multiverse, implying that Zack Snyder would not be involved in further superhero film projects coming from DC Films.
However, Warner Bros. has stood behind Hamada, responding to Fisher’s allegations by saying Hamada had no involvement in Justice League. They also maintained that Hamada had not prejudged the results of the investigation being conducted by Warner Bros.
The contract extension further shows Warner Bros. still fully supports Hamada. Deadline quotes a statement from Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich that described Hamada as passionate about the DC properties and bringing them to life in movies and television shows.
Emmerich also said that Hamada would be expanding and diversifying the DC cinematic universe by collaborating with both new and established talent.
Meanwhile, Hamada was described as well-respected, talented, and a great collaborator by Ann Sarnoff, who is chair and CEO of the WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group. She also expressed her excitement as to which direction Hamada would be taking the DC Multiverse.