James Gunn and Peter Safran are set to relinquish their leadership positions at DC Studios, bringing their four-year tenure as co-chief executives to an end. Skydance Motion Picture Group announced on Monday that the duo would be replaced by former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham, who will assume the positions of president and chief creative officer at the comic book studio. 

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The leadership transition is scheduled to take effect on December 1. The announcement comes months after Skydance completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in October, a development that had initially seen Gunn and Safran retain their positions despite the change in ownership. Latcham will report to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein.

The development marks another significant shift for DC Studios, which underwent an extensive creative overhaul under Gunn and Safran in an effort to establish a stronger competitor to Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

Who is Jeremy Latcham?

Latcham brings considerable experience in superhero filmmaking, having been part of Marvel Studios during the early stages of the MCU. He played an important role in the development of films including ‘Iron Man’ and ‘The Avengers’, two projects that helped establish Marvel's cinematic franchise.

He has also previously worked with Gunn and Safran on the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films. Latcham left Marvel in 2017 to establish his own production company, Latcham Pictures. His subsequent producing credits include ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ and ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’.

Reacting to his appointment, Latcham said, “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.”

Skydance executives also expressed confidence in his ability to lead the franchise, citing his understanding of the comic book brand and its audience.

“Jeremy brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase, recognizing that they are the very foundation of this storied, multigenerational brand,” Goldberg and Greenstein said.

Why are James Gunn and Peter Safran stepping down?

Gunn and Safran were brought in by then Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav in 2022. Their mandate was to rebuild DC's struggling cinematic universe, establish a unified creative direction and position the franchise as a serious rival to Marvel.

The pair took charge of both the creative and production sides of the studio, introducing a new roadmap for its films and television projects. However, their leadership produced a mixed commercial outcome, with some releases performing considerably better than others.

Although the duo initially remained part of the leadership structure following Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, the latest announcement confirms their departure from the top positions.

Skydance chairman and chief executive David Ellison acknowledged their contribution to the franchise, saying, “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.”

The two executives are now expected to concentrate on filmmaking and other creative projects. In a joint statement, they 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,'”

How did DC Studios perform under Gunn and Safran?

The leadership team began its revamped DC cinematic universe with Superman, which arrived in theatres last year. The film, starring David Corenswet as the iconic superhero, earned approximately USD 618.7 million worldwide. Its lighter and more humorous approach marked a departure from the darker interpretation previously established in Zack Snyder's ‘Man of Steel’.

However, subsequent releases struggled to match its performance. ‘Supergirl’, released in July, became a major box-office disappointment, earning around USD 126 million against a reported production budget of USD 170 million.

The studio's horror-oriented project ‘Clayface’ took a different creative direction, blending comic book storytelling with body horror. The R-rated film earned approximately USD 109 million worldwide against a budget of USD 44 million, delivering a more modest commercial performance.

Gunn and Safran also expanded DC's presence on television through projects including ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Lanterns’ for HBO Max. Their broader vision involved developing interconnected stories across cinema and streaming while allowing room for distinctive interpretations of DC characters.

James Gunn reflects on his DC Studios tenure

Following the announcement, Gunn took to social media to look back on his experience leading DC Studios. The filmmaker described the opportunity as a long-held dream, recalling how he would create his own comic books featuring DC characters while growing up in Manchester, Missouri.

"Oh, boy. What a four years," Gunn's post begins. "Thanks to all of you who have supported me and Peter in our time as the heads of DC Studios. When I was a kid growing up in Manchester, Missouri, I used to write and draw my own comics with a mix of DC Comics characters and my own characters. Having full access to these characters to do whatever we wanted has been a dream come true. I didn’t know if I wanted this job when it was offered to me, but I just couldn’t pass up the unique opportunity. I’m glad I took the job," he wrote.

Reflecting on the highlights of his tenure, Gunn mentioned the release of ‘Superman’ and ‘Clayface’, the making of ‘Peacemaker’ and his experience working on ‘Man of Tomorrow’. He also spoke warmly about his colleagues and collaborators, particularly Safran.

"There have been so many highs along the way – releasing Superman and Clayface, making Peacemaker, reading the scripts to The People Vs, the entire process of Man of Tomorrow, which thus far has been the best filmmaking experience of my life, and numerous other moments. The highest of the highs have been all the talented and wonderful people I’ve worked with and grown to love: the DC Studios crew, our talented collaborators, our casts and crews, and the boisterous and hilarious fans. And the best part of all has been working with Peter Safran, the smartest and most competent person I know. You’ve been the best partner a person could ask for, and, more so, a truly good friend," Gunn added.

However, the filmmaker also acknowledged the difficulties of balancing his responsibilities as a studio executive with his creative ambitions. He explained that the corporate demands of the position and the pressure of managing multiple projects had taken a toll on his personal and professional life.

"But what only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least. I dislike the at-times 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 (Jenn, I love you and I’m sorry and you don’t need to feel guilty for being the happiest of all people that I’m no longer doing this job). 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," he further said.

What happens to DC's upcoming projects?

Although Gunn and Safran are leaving their executive positions, their creative influence will continue to be visible in DC's upcoming releases. Several projects developed during their leadership are already in production or moving towards completion.

Gunn is currently working on ‘Man of Tomorrow’, the follow-up to ‘Superman’, which will continue the story involving Clark Kent and Lex Luthor. Other projects in the pipeline include the series ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ and ‘The Batman Part II’.