James Gunn and Peter Safran met face-to-face with David Ellison, and they’re still running the DCU. After everything that’s happened with this Warner Bros–Paramount merger, that’s the headline that actually matters.

The Meeting That Mattered

Multiple sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the duo met with Ellison in person and that the meeting was positive, with the pair asked to stay and “keep doing what you’re doing.” Ellison is reportedly supportive of Gunn and Safran and wants them to continue leading.

That’s not nothing. This merger has been a bloodbath for executives on the Warner side. Warner film chiefs Pam Abdy and Michael De Luca are being shown the door as Ellison reshuffles leadership, and one studio insider even noted De Luca and Abdy “were led to believe they would still be here post-merger,” having met with Ellison months ago and “felt secure,” before everything changed. So Gunn and Safran surviving isn’t a guarantee — it’s a genuine vote of confidence in what they’ve built.

Not A Blank Check

This isn’t a new contract, and nobody should pretend otherwise. What Ellison didn’t give them was a new deal, a confirmed boss to report to, or any guarantees. The read from insiders has been consistent for weeks: Gunn runs DC through Man of Tomorrow, and nothing is promised past 2027. The general consensus inside the company is that they’ll at least see through the releases already completed or in post-production.

The merger itself is barreling toward the finish line regardless — Ellison announced the corporate moniker ahead of the expected closure of the $111 billion merger on October 6, with the combined company taking the Skydance name.

Still, given how ugly this whole merger has been for everyone not named Ellison, two guys getting told “keep doing what you’re doing” is as close to a good sign as this franchise has gotten in months. The DCU isn’t being blown up. For now, that’s a win.

What happens after Man of Tomorrow drops in 2027, though? That’s the real question hanging over all of this.