David Zaslav’s well-wishes for James Gunn following his ousting from DC Studios drew backlash online, with several fans blaming the former Warner Bros. Discovery CEO for the shakeup.
As news broke Monday of his and Peter Safran’s departure from DC Studios, Gunn took to Instagram to share a statement expressing gratitude for his time leading the studio while acknowledging that he “dislike[d] the at-times corporate nature of the job.” Gunn’s farewell note was soon flooded with comments of support and praise, including from his former boss Zaslav.
“We’re all grateful you took the job, James,” Zaslav wrote in the comments of the post. “You’re an extraordinary leader and a great creative, and your storytelling and creative vision for DC was magical.”
He added: “Can’t wait for everyone to see the exceptional ‘Man of Tomorrow’ … Best time together James.”
While Gunn appeared to appreciate the message from Zaslav, liking the comment, his fans responded strongly, accusing the Hollywood executive of causing the chain of events that led to this outcome.
“This is your fault,” one of Gunn’s followers wrote in response. Another expressed a similar sentiment, bluntly writing, “EXCUSE ME? This is all your fault for selling Warner Bros. knowing what was gonna happen. Spare us, please.”
A third offered up a short, expletive-filled response, commenting, “F–k you.” “Bro thinks he’s on the team,” a fourth fan remarked. “This is YOUR fault!”
“You’re a [buffoon],” a fifth Gunn fan wrote. “In the year that the studio made the most profit, you wanted to sell … go to hell.”
Yet, not every fan felt frustrated with Zaslav, as one user credited the businessman for putting Gunn and Safran in charge in the first place.
“We are sorry for how rude we were during your time,” the fan commented. “We want you back. You gave us the DCU we know and will always love.”
A representative for Zaslav did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
Zaslav played a central role in the sale of Warner Bros. Discovery, as he led the corporate strategy and competitive bidding war that resulted in Paramount Skydance buying the business for $110 billion. In October, on the eve of the Skydance merger, he bid farewell to staffers, noting, “For me, it’s been a great honor to be alongside all of you. I hope you take pride in what you’ve built, what you’ve created and the role you’ve played in shaping an extraordinary history.”
“I can’t wait to see what you do in the years ahead. I’m so grateful for all these years at Warner Bros. Discovery,” he added.
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