In a major shakeup that will send shock waves throughout the comic book world, James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC studios.
Skydance, which now oversees the division thanks to its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, has appointed former Marvel exec Jeremy Latcham to the post of president and chief creative officer of DC Studios.
Gunn and Safran are stepping down from their leadership roles effect Dec. 1, four years after taking over the job to much fanfare. The duo released three movies during that time (Superman, Supergirl and Clayface), as well as three live-action TV shows (The Penguin, Peacemaker season 2 and Lanterns), and had a decade’s worth of plans in the works.
The duo will still be in the fold creatively, at least on a few projects, as Gunn has Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow in post-production for a planned release next year, with the TV spinoff The People v. Gorilla Grodd also in post. Gunn and Safran remain producers on The Batman: Part II as well, for a 2028 release date. With their executive days done, the plan is for them to return full time to their creative work. Gunn rose to fame as the blockbuster filmmaker behind Guardians of the Galaxy, while Safran is a prolific producer on numerous DC and horror titles.
“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,” Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz said jointly in a statement. “We’re grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand.”
Regarding Latcham, the duo stated, “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. We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans.”
Latcham returns to his executive roots with the role. He was one of the earliest employees of Marvel Studios, joining the company in 2004, and ultimately rose to senior vp of production and development. As a protégé, and then right hand man for Marvel head Kevin Fiege, he gained credits on Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Spider-Man: Homecoming. He worked with Gunn on Guardians, the 2014 movie that made the filmmaker an A-list director.
Per Skydance, Latcham will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, along with production, talent and strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. That’s a change from the days of Gunn and Safran, who reported directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav before the merger, and before their exit, reported directly to Ellison.
“DC’s pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture,” said Latcham 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.”
Hollywood observers will be looking to discern if Gunn and Safran decided to move on, or if they were pushed out. Before the merger, Ellison flew to the set of Man of Tomorrow, which was seen as a vote of confidence for the duo, and in recent weeks, the pair presented their plan to the mogul. Sources previously told THR Ellison told them to keep doing what they were doing. “David knows everything… he’s been great with us,” Gunn told THR last month of keeping Ellison informed of their larger vision.
The exit now puts into question the vast plans the duo announced when they took over and tried to steer the DC movies beyond the long shadow cast by the Zack Snyder era. Gunn and Safran started off with the successful launch of a new Superman movie last yaer but then stumbled big with Supergirl, a critical and commercial bomb. Their third movie, Clayface, has generated strong reviews and is a moneymaker.
“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,” The duo stated regarding their tenure. “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.
On the Latcham front, they enthused, “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. 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.”
