James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down from their executive leadership roles at DC Studios after four years at the helm. Former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham has been appointed president and chief creative officer of the comic book division, effective December 1, 2026.

The major executive shake-up follows the corporate restructuring of parent company Warner Bros. Discovery, which was acquired in October. According to IndieWire, Skydance closed a $110 billion deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, while Variety reports the transaction as a $111 billion acquisition by Paramount that resulted in the newly renamed Skydance. The leadership change was announced alongside Skydance's third-quarter earnings report.

Industry outlets offer differing descriptions of the departing duo's exact titles and the nature of their exit. While Deadline notes that Gunn and Safran are leaving their posts as co-CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios, TheWrap frames the transition as the pair handing over the reins to return full-time to their creative work.

Variety characterizes the departure as unexpected, pointing out that Gunn and Safran had initially been named to CEO David Ellison's business leadership team when the acquisition closed in October.

A New Reporting Structure Under Jeremy Latcham

In his new role, Latcham will lead DC's film, television, and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, production, talent, and overall strategy. He will report directly to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, Co-Chairs of the Skydance Motion Picture Group. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this marks a shift in corporate hierarchy from the tenure of Gunn and Safran, who originally reported directly to former Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and briefly to Ellison following the merger.

Latcham joins DC Studios with a significant track record in superhero filmmaking. Joining Marvel Studios in 2004, he rose to Senior Vice President of Production and Development under Kevin Feige.

During his time at Marvel, Latcham helped shepherd global blockbusters including Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. He also shares an established working history with Gunn, having produced the 2014 hit Guardians of the Galaxy.

"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."

Goldberg and Greenstein praised the incoming chief in a joint statement, saying, "Jeremy brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase, recognizing that they are the very foundation of this storied, multigenerational brand.

Under his leadership, every film and television show will be ushered from start to finish through the prism of the legions of fans who love and champion it."

Mixed Box Office Results and Streaming Wins

Appointed by Zaslav in 2022 to build a cohesive rival to Disney's Marvel Cinematic Universe across film, television, and video games, Gunn and Safran oversaw a period of mixed commercial performance at the box office alongside notable streaming successes.

Gunn kicked off the rebooted slate by writing and directing last summer's Superman, which performed well commercially with a global gross of $618.7 million. However, the studio stumbled in July with Supergirl, which became a theatrical bomb after earning $126 million globally against a $170 million production budget.

This fall's R-rated body-horror thriller Clayface, produced on a net budget of $44 million, held the number one spot worldwide for two consecutive weeks and has grossed a modest $109 million.

On the small screen, the duo saw stronger momentum. Their tenure included the Matt Reeves-produced HBO Max series The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, which won nine Emmy Awards after beginning development prior to their arrival. They also launched the adult animated series Creature Commandos, the second season of the Emmy-nominated John Cena series Peacemaker, and the HBO series Lanterns, starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, which wrapped its well-regarded first season at the start of October.

What This Means for the Future DCU Slate

Despite stepping away from the boardroom, Gunn and Safran are not cutting ties with the franchise. Skydance Chairman and CEO David Ellison and Co-CEO Ynon Kreiz emphasized that the transition will be collaborative.

"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," Ellison and Kreiz 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."

For audiences, the executive change does not establish that existing projects are canceled or that the current continuity is being scrapped. Gunn and Safran confirmed they are shifting back to full-time creative roles and remain actively in post-production on the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow. Written and directed by Gunn, the film is scheduled to hit theaters on July 9, 2027, and is expected to feature the return of Pierre's John Stewart following the Lanterns finale, according to The Direct.

"Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision," Gunn and Safran said in their joint statement.

"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 story in Man of Tomorrow."

Beyond the Superman follow-up, several high-profile projects remain in the pipeline with Gunn and Safran attached as producers, as reported by IGN. The live-action television spinoff The People v. Gorilla Grodd—starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd—is currently in post-production for a 2027 debut. Meanwhile, The Batman: Part II, starring Robert Pattinson, remains slated for a 2028 theatrical release.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which upcoming DC projects will still involve James Gunn and Peter Safran?

Gunn and Safran remain actively involved as producers on several projects already in the pipeline. Gunn is currently in post-production on the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, scheduled for release on July 9, 2027.

They are also overseeing post-production on the 2027 television series The People v. Gorilla Grodd and remain attached as producers on 2028's The Batman: Part II.

Will Jeremy Latcham cancel the current DC Universe slate?

Current studio announcements and trade reports do not indicate any plans to cancel or reset the existing DCU slate. Skydance leadership and the departing executives have framed the move as a collaborative management handoff, noting Latcham's past working relationship with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy.

What authority will Jeremy Latcham have at DC Studios?

Starting December 1, 2026, Latcham will serve as president and chief creative officer, overseeing the creative pipeline, production, talent, and strategy across film, television, and animation. Unlike Gunn and Safran, who reported directly to the parent company CEO, Latcham will report to Skydance Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein.

Sources