James Gunn and Peter Safran Exit DC Studios; Jeremy Latcham Named Successor

James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving their roles as co-CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios after four years at the helm. Former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham will take over as president and chief creative officer, starting December 1, according to Deadline and Variety. The change follows Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, which closed in October.

A leadership change after four years

Gunn and Safran were appointed in 2022 by David Zaslav, then chief executive of Warner Bros. Discovery, with a mandate to build a comic book film and television universe that could rival Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe. Their departure was unexpected for some observers, since they had been named to David Ellison's leadership team at Skydance after the merger. Deadline reported that sources had said the pair were expected to stay on.

Gunn and Safran will return to full-time creative work. Both will continue to work on DC projects, and they are currently in post-production on "Superman: Man of Tomorrow," which Gunn wrote and directs. Gunn said in a statement posted on Instagram that the job had been demanding, and that he had given up personal time over the past four years. He said he was glad he took the role.

Mixed results under their direction

The pair rebooted the DC film slate with "Superman," which earned $618 million worldwide. "Supergirl" was a significant disappointment, grossing $126 million against a reported budget of $170 million, while Deadline cited a net cost of $186 million. "Clayface," a darker, R-rated thriller, had reached $109 million worldwide against a production cost of $44 million, and Deadline reported it held the No. 1 spot worldwide for two weeks.

On television, the studio launched "Peacemaker," "Creature Commandos" and "Lanterns" for HBO Max. Lanterns drew strong viewership, according to Deadline, though Yahoo noted it had faced some backlash from fans. Several projects from the "Gods and Monsters" plan, including a Waller series and an Authority film, did not move forward.

Who is Jeremy Latcham?

Latcham joined Marvel Studios in 2004 and rose to senior vice president of production and development, working with Kevin Feige on the early MCU films. His credits as a producer include "Iron Man," "Guardians of the Galaxy," "The Avengers" and "Spider-Man: Homecoming." He left Marvel in 2017 to found Latcham Pictures, whose productions included "Bad Times at the El Royale" and "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."

In his new role, Latcham will lead DC's film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline as well as production, talent and strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. Under the previous structure, DC leaders reported to the company's chief executives.

Reactions and what comes next

David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz, the chief executives of Skydance, thanked Gunn and Safran for launching "a new era for DC Studios." In a statement, they said they had full confidence the two would ensure a smooth transition. Goldberg and Greenstein said Latcham brings "a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase."

Latcham said he was honored to lead the studio and described the role as a major responsibility. Upcoming DC projects include "Superman: Man of Tomorrow," scheduled for July 2027, "The Batman: Part II" with Robert Pattinson, and the HBO Max series "The People v. Gorilla Grodd," which is slated for 2027. What we know so far is that the leadership change takes effect on December 1, and it is not yet clear which projects from earlier plans will remain in development.

Skydance reported its third-quarter earnings on the same day the news was announced, according to Deadline.

Reporting structure

Gunn and Safran both now sit within the broader Skydance film structure, and Latcham's reporting line is part of that change. Trade reports have not detailed how creative decisions will be divided between him and the leaders who oversee film at Skydance.

Note: Gunn and Safran were named as part of Ellison's team after the merger, but no official reason for the change has been given beyond the statements issued.