James Gunn and Peter Safran exit DC Studios; Marvel veteran replaces them
James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as heads of DC Studios after four years, Skydance said Monday. Former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham takes over Dec. 1.
AI-assisted · US Brief desk · Sources listed below
What happened
The change comes weeks after Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closed in October and the combined company was renamed Skydance. Variety and AP both described the exit as unexpected because the pair had been kept on after the merger. Latcham will run DC's film, TV and animation slate and report to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. Deadline noted that this is a change: DC's bosses had reported directly to the company's CEO, first David Zaslav and then David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz.
Why it matters
DC's heroes, including Superman and Batman, are among the biggest film franchises the new Skydance owns. Gunn and Safran were hired in 2022 to build a real rival to Disney's Marvel films, Variety reported, and their exit hands that job to a Marvel insider with less than a year before the next "Superman" movie opens.
What’s next
Gunn's "Man of Tomorrow," the "Superman" sequel, is in post-production for a July 9, 2027 release, with Gunn and Safran still producing. "The Batman Part II," starring Robert Pattinson, is filming, and the HBO Max series "The People v. Gorilla Grodd" is due in 2027. Still unknown: whether Latcham will keep the pair's plans for the DC slate, and whether any announced projects change.
More context
James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving their jobs as co-chairmen and CEOs of DC Studios, Skydance Motion Picture Group announced Monday. Jeremy Latcham, a founding member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe team, becomes president and chief creative officer of DC Studios on Dec. 1. Gunn and Safran will "return full time to their creative work," the company said.
In a joint statement, Gunn and Safran said they "helped restore Superman to the heart of DC" and are excited to get back to "telling the stories we love." Gunn went further on social media, writing that his time at DC Studios "has been trying, to say the least" and that he dislikes "the at-times corporate nature of the job," Variety reported. Ellison and Kreiz thanked the pair for leading DC "through a period of real transformation."
The scorecard: Skydance says "Superman" (2025) earned more than $618 million worldwide and this fall's R-rated "Clayface" has grossed more than $109 million. Variety reports "Clayface" cost $44 million, while July's "Supergirl" made $126 million on a $170 million budget. On TV, the pair oversaw "Peacemaker," "Creature Commandos" and "Lanterns" for HBO Max.
Who is Latcham: He joined Marvel Studios in 2004, rose to senior vice president of production and development, and worked on "Iron Man," "The Avengers," "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Spider-Man: Homecoming," per Variety. He left in 2017 to start Latcham Pictures, which produced "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves." He worked with Gunn on "Guardians of the Galaxy."
How outlets framed it: Skydance's release calls it a transition, with Gunn and Safran choosing to "step away" to focus on creative work. Variety's headline says the pair were "fired," while AP, Deadline and IndieWire say they are "out." Deadline reported that Safran's contract was due to expire in the spring. Skydance has not said whose decision the change was.
5 listed sources
- Skydance, Skydance Names Jeremy Latcham President and Chief Creative Officer, DC Studios, Nov. 9, 2026
- AP, In another shake-up at DC Studios, Gunn and Safran are out as Skydance appoints Marvel vet Latcham, Nov. 9, 2026
- Variety, DC Shocker: James Gunn, Peter Safran Out as Co-Chairmen, Marvel Veteran Jeremy Latcham to Lead Comic Book Studio, Nov. 9, 2026
- Deadline, DC Studios Shakeup: James Gunn, Peter Safran Out, Ex-Marvel Exec In, Nov. 9, 2026
- IndieWire, James Gunn, Peter Safran Out at DC Studios, Jeremy Latcham Hired, Nov. 9, 2026
References listed by US Brief; a source count is not a verification score.
Editorial sourcing notes
The leadership change, start date, reporting line and box office figures for "Superman" and "Clayface" come from Skydance's Nov. 9 announcement. The "Supergirl" gross and budget and the "Clayface" budget are Variety's figures. Gunn's social media quote is as reported by Variety. The reporting-line change and Safran's contract timing are from Deadline. Skydance did not say whether the change was its decision or the pair's. The hero photo shows the 2025 "Superman" premiere in Manila, not Monday's announcement.
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