As part of a shakeup of its DC film operations, Warner Bros. is promoting Walter Hamada to oversee its comic book movies, Variety has learned. Insiders say that Hamada will essentially serve as president of production in charge of the DC movies. In December, the studio decided to replace Jon Berg and Geoff Johns as the heads of the DC movies. Berg became a production partner with Roy Lee, the producer of The Lego Movie and It, who has a deal on the lot. Johns remains at DC, but is taking on more of an advisory role.
The move comes as DC is looking for more quality control of its big screen efforts the studio captured acclaim and box office bonanza with last summers Wonder Woman, but was savaged by critics for Suicide Squad and Justice League. There is widespread frustration over DCs failure to match the popularity of Marvel movies.
Hamada previously served as a production executive at New Line, a division of Warner Bros. There, he helped shepherd such horror hits as It and The Conjuring to cinemas. The executive enjoys a close relationship with director James Wan, who is directing Aquaman for DC, and is credited with helping expand The Conjuring universe by making a well-received sequel to the movie, as well as spinoffs with the Annabelle series. He will be leaving New Line to work for Warners, and will also oversee any other types of comic book movies that the studio produces outside of the DC canon.
Last summer, Warner Bros. named Courtenay Valenti, best known for her work on the Harry Potter films, as president of production at Warner Bros. She will continue in that role, as will DC Entertainment chief Diane Nelson.
Before coming to New Line, Hamada was a producer and manager with H2F Entertainment. He began his career as an assistant at TriStar and eventually became VP of production for Columbia Pictures. He also ran development for MBST Entertainment.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
