Embattled DCEU boss Walter Hamada has parted ways with Warner Bros.

DC Films President Walter Hamada has stepped down from his role, ending a tenure marked by controversy both on and off screen.

Hamada, who has held the job as studio head since 2018 after stepping up again in 2021, has officially left the studio’s Burbank, Calif. property following his resignation, Deadline reports. The company is now preparing to make the final payoff of the outgoing boss, bringing about a tectonic shift for the DC Extended Universe. The move also comes especially on the cusp of DCEU’s long-awaited comeback to theaters with the heavily promoted Dwayne Johnson headline Black Adam just a few days before its release. However, sources told the trade that Hamada has been noticeably absent from creative meetings lately, which appears to have signaled his impending departure from the company.

Also Read: Zack Snyder Fans Reportedly Send Death Threats To DCEU Boss Walter Hamada

There are several possible reasons why Hamada is unemployed. From a purely financial standpoint, the move wasn’t entirely unexpected given how the DC Comics-adapted film franchise arguably continued to manifest itself in a rudderless fashion. The company’s telegraphed intent to create one avenger-like blockbuster brand from 2017 justice league produced disappointing results both critically and financially, earning $600 million worldwide on a budget of $300 million, making it a white elephant of an endeavor after the promotional expenses required for a tentpole of its magnitude. While Hamada rose to his position thereafter, his eventual leadership didn’t seem to change things in the eyes of those higher up, even as the relative success of DC solo films like wonder woman (2017), Aquaman (2018) and Shazam (2019) appeared to show signs of life.

Hamadas pandemic-altered DC Films Tenure

However, as with all things, the pandemic made the situation even more nebulous for DCEU branding, forcing its films to take the streaming route when HBO Max releases later in 2021. However, it became clear that the strategy – made instead of a Top Gun: Maverick-like trying to delay the movies — made the company money. Hence the next level plan of the Hamada era bat girl and other projects that manifested solely as streaming HBO Max releases were looking worse by the day. Hence the move by Warner Bros. Discovery – taken under the new leadership of David Zaslav – to cancel the company entirely bat girl, even at a time when production was $90 million, was a sign that Hamada’s fate was tied to the project. In fact, one report claimed that Hamada almost left the company bat girl‘s controversial cancellation, which happened back in August.

See also: DC Films boss Walter Hamada reportedly wanted a DCEU crisis on infinite earths

Hamada’s tenure also drew negative headlines, particularly in relation to justice league‘s cyborg actor Ray Fisher, who accused him of enabling the allegedly toxic and abusive behavior of behind-the-scenes bigwigs, most notably director Joss Whedon. In recent years, an increasingly outspoken Fisher’s began targeting Hamada frequently in public, which he believes the buck stopped when it came to his laundry list of complaints during the subsequent investigation into said behavior. As the actor vented on Twitter last year during the release of director Zack Snyder’s HBO Max debut Redux of the film: “In honor of the historical recognition of Zack Snyder’s Justice League– Allow me to say from the bottom of my heart… that Walter Hamada owes the participants in the Justice League investigation an apology. A>E.” Contextually, the last part expressed his desire for accountability to replace entertainment.

DC Films’ search for its own Kevin Feige

Since Hamada’s departure is an expected event, Black Adam‘s Dwayne Johnson himself proactively meddled in the looming leadership vacuum at DC Films. As the world’s biggest blockbuster headliner, Johnson has wielded control of the film and its ubiquitous publicity machine. As such, he also seems keen on helping the studio find new leadership to stabilize the franchise ship, as Kevin Feige successfully did for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “The best position I could have for DC is as a consultant, where I can help,” Johnson said. “I love DC. It’s in my blood In the spirit of growing up with the DC Universe. I’m here to help in any way I can, including finding and finding the right leader or leaders.”

Black Adam hits theaters on October 21st.

Source: Deadline