What's going to happen to DC comics after Warner Bros goes Discovery?

[Mr_E_88]

Hi guys

This has been one of the questions that I've been trying to wrap my head around for a while. A while back, AT&T announced that it's planning to have warner bros. to merge with Discovery, and some have speculated that eventually Discovery might close DC comics or sell it off.

Can someone explain this merge for me?

Also, what do you see for DC Comics, Warner Bros., and Netherelm Studios in the future?

Personally, I have no idea what will happen, but if DC comics is going to be sold then I hope that it's Disney who buys it. I rather have the mouse own both Marvel and DC than DC comics shutting down.

[Vordan]

The Discovery CEO namedropped Batman, Superman, and WW as the most valuable IPs he’d be handling once the merge happens. DC isn’t getting sold off. The video games studios though might, it’s not certain yet.

[Timber Wolf-By-Night]

What's Neverelm Studios? Never heard of it.

[Robotman]

The Mortal Kombat movie, despite being pretty terrible, was a huge success for HBO Max. I don't see WB/Discovery putting NetherRelm on the sales block anymore.

[HunterX]

Personally, I have no idea what will happen, but if DC comics is going to be sold then I hope that it's Disney who buys it.

ha ha ha , no

[Digifiend]

What's Neverelm Studios? Never heard of it.

It's what used to be Midway, I think? They're the makers of Mortal Kombat.

[Holt]

Probably the same thing that happened when they were bought by AT&T. Not much.

[Unspeakable Evil]

It gets confusing to know what's all under the same umbrella

It's what used to be Midway, I think? They're the makers of Mortal Kombat.

Correct.

[John Venus]

-We don't know what's going to happen. Just hope for the best.

-Disney has enough IP's and is dangerously close to being a monopoly. As much as I enjoy the MCU I would prefer if there was someone who can legitimately compete with them and challenge them at their own game.

-If any company ends up acquiring DC's IP's, I hope it's Netflix.

[ben jacobs]

Personally, I have no idea what will happen, but if DC comics is going to be sold then I hope that it's Disney who buys it. I rather have the mouse own both Marvel and DC than DC comics shutting down.[/QUOTE]

HELL YEAH

[BatmanJones]

But Ethan Van Sciver said…

[Comic-Reader Lad]

DC Comics is very safe because Warners started the DCEU in the first place because of the success of the Dark Knight trilogy plus the fact that the Harry Potter franchise was ending.

Even though there has been so much Internet chatter that the DCEU has underperformed, the DC characters are still very valuable IP that Warner owns outright -- it doesn't have to license them like the Harry Potter stuff. Why would they give that up?

As far as talk about them selling the comics division or outsourcing the comics production, that could happen, but if Disney didn't do it to Marvel, I don't think Warner Bros. Discovery will do it to DC.

You really do want everything in-house as you have better quality control over the stories -- and a lot of those stories do get adapted in some form to movies/TV/animation.

[iron chimp]

Probably the same thing that happened when they were bought by AT&T. Not much.

I dont know - quite a lot happened for me

(my time line could be screwed though as I havent followed it all closely)

ditched 5g
culled the office
started another relaunch while contracting the line
changed distro
then were sold again

Obviously not all of that was At&T, im sure some happened before, and covid will have done some of it, some of it seems to be office power struggle etc but what a mess.

I dont know... maybe EVS was clsoer to truth than we will know for a long while. The last few years has all the hallmarks of the 70s dc implosion followed by discussions to license things out to Marvel before trying to relaunch it all which turned out to be a huge success. DCs wasted a ton of money on failed relaunches, had to close its prestige original content adult graphic novel / comics line, hugely contracted its line and staff - personally I wouldnt be surprised if one of the options on the table while the head company was scrabbling for cash was to shut it down and license publishing out. Certianly wouldnt be the first time its been discussed.

[HsssH]

had to close its prestige original content adult graphic novel / comics line

What are you talking about?

[iron chimp]

What are you talking about?

vertigo - obviously that was before at&t but its indicative of an ever shrinking publishing company. I dont think black label (which i like) is a similar replacement and during a boom in OG graphic novel / collected issues in industry to have to close one of the oldest continuing companies in that field was indicative of some hopeless mismanagement.

DC only had two major publishing arms (and some side imprints) and to shutter one whole arm was pretty much giving up on creating new original content and storytelling. When you add it to two relaunches, zoom, ink, young animal, nu52, dcyou, rebirth, 5g - its been pretty much a decade of wasting cash.

Personally i dont think they would close the publishing, but in the darkest days of the takeover and teh scramble for cash I dont think it was unrealistic that there were discussions.