#NewsBytesExplainer: Walter Hamada quits DC; which controversies triggered his exit?
What's the story
Walter Hamada has stepped down as the Head of DC Films at Warner Bros. Discovery. He was associated with the production giant for 15 years and served as the President of DC Films for four years. Though his contract allowed him to grace the designation for two more years, Hamada decided to part ways owing to recent controversies that enveloped his tenure. Here's more.
'Batgirl' cancellation
'Batgirl's abrupt cancellation triggered a major fallout
Per reports, Hamada had originally planned to step out right after Batgirl was abruptly shelved but was asked to stay till the release of Black Adam. Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav reportedly axed Batgirl "to protect the DC brand" but didn't include Hamada in the decision-making process. Reportedly, Hamada was finally made privy to the information during a test screening of Black Adam.
Conflict
Earlier, Ray Fisher had accused Hamada of enabling toxic behavior
The biggest controversy that engulfed Hamada's career occurred in 2017 when actor Ray Fisher accused director Joss Whedon of "toxic behavior on the sets of Justice League's re-shoots." The issue further caught fire when the actor targeted the producers, Hamada, Geoff Johns, and Jon Berg for "dismissing [his] concerns and enabling Whedon's behavior." Some fans also accused Hamada of "suppressing a Black man's voice."
Twitter Post
Fisher had posted this tweet a few days ago
Not sure why I’m trending, but this would be a good time to mention:
— Ray Fisher (@ray8fisher) October 16, 2022
Walter Hamada still owes an apology to the participants of the Justice League investigation.
Had he not attempted to cover for Geoff Johns’ toxic and discriminatory behavior, we wouldn’t be here now.
AE
Change in leadership
DC is looking for its own Kevin Feige
When Discovery Inc and WarnerMedia merged in 2022, Zaslav had expressed his ideas and the desire to "bring in another executive to run DC, like Marvel chief Kevin Feige." Reportedly, this led to tensions in the conglomerate and is one of the reasons that facilitated Hamada's farewell. Former Warner Bros. development executive Dan Lin or former Fox chief Emma Watts may take the mantle.
Future
Hamada's successor will be tasked with scripting a new future
Reportedly, Zaslav aspires to slash $3B from DC's budget, which will reportedly trigger downsizing. Moreover, in a bid to mirror MCU's phenomenal global success, DC is currently enacting a "ten-year plan." Hamada's successor will oversee several projects and is expected to connect "Black Adam, The Flash, Aquaman 2, Shazam 2, and more into a more cohesive plan that can outlast the Zack Snyder-built universe."