James Gunn and Peter Safran Leaving DC Studios

James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC Studios, four years after they took control of DC’s film, television and animation universe.

Parent company Skydance, which recently acquired Warner Bros. Discovery, announced the move on Monday. Former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham will take over.

“Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision. In that time, we helped restore Superman to the heart of DC, while opening new doors and telling new stories in film and television with Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, and Clayface,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “We’re immensely proud of the team that turned that ambition into something real, including the actors, crews and executives we had the opportunity to collaborate with.”

“James and Peter launched a new era for DC Studios and led it through a period of real transformation, resetting the foundation and building a slate we’re incredibly proud of. We’re grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand,” Skydance CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz said in a statement.

Jeremy Latcham takes over DC Studios

Latcham previously served as senior vice president of production and development at Marvel Studios. His producer credits include Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

“Jeremy has been a longtime creative partner to both, and we have complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care,” Ellison and Kreiz said. “We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans.”

“We’ve shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we’re eager to see the perspective he brings to DC’s next chapter,” Gunn and Safran said. “We’re excited to return to what drew us to this job in the first place, which is telling the stories we love, including the next chapter of Clark and Lex’s journey in Man of Tomorrow.”

“DC’s pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture,” Latcham said in a statement. “I’ve had the privilege to help bring some of the most celebrated superhero stories to life on the big screen, and I’m excited and honored for the opportunity to now lead DC Studios into its next era. The chance to steward the incredible cast of DC characters to the screen in a way that excites lifelong fans while introducing their timeless stories to the next generation is a massive responsibility that I do not take lightly.”

In a statement posted to Instagram, Gunn said he enjoyed making films at DC Studios more than the business side of running the studio.

“The past four years is [sic] my time at DC Studios has been trying to say the least,” Gunn said. “I dislike the at-time corporate nature of the job (thanks to Peter for taking the brunt of that). I’m always a very hard worker, but as a filmmaker I would at least get to take short breaks to unwind, and I’ve stolen even that time from both myself and my loved ones over the past four years. […] And the thing my ADHD hyperfocus has had the most difficulty with has been dividing my time between projects I’m incredibly passionate about and the ones I’m not so much and all the things I have to do as a studio head.”

In 2024, Gunn and Safran laid out a decade-long slate of films, television shows, animated specials and games intended to unite DC’s comics properties. Some projects, including Superman and Lanterns, came to fruition and found success. Others, including Supergirl, were less successful. Unplanned additions such as Clayface showed that the studio was willing to change its plans.

It remains unclear how much of Gunn’s creative vision will continue beyond projects in development, including the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow and the television series The People v. Gorilla Grodd.

See the DC movie and television release calendar for projects scheduled for 2026 and beyond.

Source: Polygon