James Gunn and Peter Safran replaced as DC Studios heads

Nov 10 · Skydance co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz removed James Gunn and Peter Safran from DC Studios leadership Updated 04:50

Jeremy Latcham, a former senior VP at Marvel Studios involved in the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and a former collaborator of James Gunn and Kevin Feige, will oversee DC's film, television, and animation slates, according to Variety and Ars Technica. This leadership change follows the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, according to Business Insider. James Gunn and Peter Safran served as co-CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios, according to Variety and Decider. Business Insider reports they were hired in 2022 to reboot DC's franchises to compete with Marvel. During their tenure, Gunn and Safran released three films and three TV shows, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Decider reported that the project 'Lanterns' was successful and 'Clayface' saw modest success. Deadline reports that Gunn and Safran are finishing the Superman sequel, 'Man of Tomorrow', which Business Insider states is scheduled for release next summer, while Ars Technica associates the film with the year 2028. Variety lists 'Superman: Man of Tomorrow' and 'The Batman: Part II' as upcoming DC projects. Breitbart reported that Gunn and Safran were fired as co-presidents of DC Studios and stated that 'Superman' is scheduled for 2025 and 'Supergirl' for 2026. Variety describes the future of 'Peacemaker' and 'Creature Commandos' as uncertain and states that unconfirmed projects, such as 'Swamp Thing', are now considered unlikely to happen. In a social media statement reported by Deadline, Gunn expressed pride in his achievements and praised Safran's competence. Gunn stated the role was 'trying' because of the corporate nature of the job and the difficulty of balancing executive duties with filmmaking, according to Deadline. Ars Technica reports that Gunn and Safran issued a joint statement expressing pride in their work and support for Latcham, and further reports that DCU television projects on HBO have been highly successful while DCU films have been forgettable. The Hollywood Reporter reports that Skydance co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz removed Gunn and Safran from their leadership positions on November 6. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this removal followed tensions between Gunn and Safran and Skydance movie executives Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg regarding reporting structures and the sharing of production details. The Hollywood Reporter further states that the new regime viewed DC's recent financials and the cultural impact of 'Superman' as insufficient. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Latcham is known for his faith-based projects and appeal to mass audiences. Additionally, The Hollywood Reporter reports that Gunn expressed relief at returning to pure filmmaking.

The Hollywood Reporter provides the most critical insight by revealing that the leadership change was not a mutual agreement but a removal. The report details a clash over reporting structures and the sharing of production details between the DC heads and Skydance executives. This confirms the first analysis's premise that the shift to studio management was driven by a desire for tighter operational control.

This conflict explains why James Gunn described the corporate nature of the job as "trying" in a statement reported by Deadline. The tension suggests the pivot was less about a specific creative failure and more about a fundamental disagreement over autonomy versus centralized corporate oversight.

Variety highlights the immediate consequence of this shift through the aggressive pruning of the slate. The fact that projects like 'Swamp Thing' are now unlikely to happen indicates that Latcham's mandate is to prioritize predictability and mass-market appeal over the expansive creative vision of his predecessors.

Outlets diverge on the catalyst for the exit. While Breitbart attributes the move to financial flops and fan hostility, The Hollywood Reporter grounds the removal in internal power struggles and insufficient cultural impact. This discrepancy leaves open whether the change was a reaction to market performance or a preemptive strike to align DC with Skydance's management style.