DC’s chief to take a leave

DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson is taking an unspecified amount of time off from her duties at the storied comic book publisher in order to “recharge,” the company’s owner Warner Bros. told staff Monday.

Nelson, who is also head of Time Warner Inc.-owned Warner Bros.’ consumer products division, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Warner Bros. did not give specific reasons for her leave of absence, which begins April 2. A person close to the studio, who was not authorized to comment publicly, cited personal matters.

“After 22 years with the company, she wants to recharge, as well as have immediate and uninterrupted time with her family,” Warner Bros. Chief Executive Kevin Tsujihara said in a memo to employees. “This is her decision, and the entire senior management team and I support this.”

Nelson has overseen the valuable comics division — best known for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman — since 2009, making her a high-profile executive at the studio with initiatives including the DC Super Hero Girls franchise. Executives Dan DiDio, Jim Lee, Geoff Johns and Amit Desai will continue to run DC in her absence.

Nelson “has contributed greatly to the company’s successes, and we look forward to her returning to the studio,” Tsujihara said.

Films based on DC heroes form a key pillar of Warner Bros.’s franchise strategy and have triggered executive changes as the studio’s efforts have largely struggled to win over movie critics. Although last year’s “Wonder Woman” was a hit with critics and moviegoers, “Justice League” was a boxoffice disappointment.

The DC film business underwent a significant shake-up in December when Warner Bros. Pictures’ copresident of production, Jon Berg, who oversaw the making of the superhero films, stepped down. Former New Line Cinema executive Walter Hamada was put in charge of the DC movies in January.