James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as the leaders of DC Studios following a major shake-up under new parent company Skydance. The entertainment company announced Monday, November 9, 2026, that former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham will replace them as president and chief creative officer beginning December 1.
The decision ends Gunn and Safran's four-year tenure overseeing DC's superhero films and television projects. However, the company has not announced a complete reboot of the DC Universe, and both filmmakers will continue developing projects, including Gunn's upcoming Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
The leadership change comes just over a month after Skydance completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. It also follows mixed box-office results for DC films, with Superman achieving commercial success in 2025 while Supergirl struggled to attract audiences in 2026.
Jeremy Latcham Takes Control of DC Studios
Latcham will oversee DC Studios' film, television and animation projects, including creative development, production, talent relationships and overall strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, the co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group.
His appointment brings an experienced Marvel executive into a franchise that has struggled to match the commercial consistency of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Latcham was involved in several early Marvel productions, including Iron Man, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
He previously worked with Gunn and Safran on Guardians of the Galaxy, giving the incoming executive a professional history with the people he is replacing. Latcham left Marvel in 2017 and later produced films including Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
In its official announcement, Skydance praised Gunn and Safran for rebuilding DC Studios and creating a foundation for future productions. Company leaders David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz expressed confidence that the transition would be collaborative.
Latcham will inherit several productions already underway, alongside projects that remain in earlier development. His decisions will determine how closely the studio follows the roadmap established under Gunn and Safran.
Superman Success Could Not Offset DC's Box-Office Problems
Gunn and Safran took control of DC Studios in 2022 with a mandate to create a more coordinated superhero franchise. Their approach was intended to replace the inconsistent storytelling and disconnected projects that had characterized earlier DC film releases.
Their first major theatrical release under the new direction was Superman, written and directed by Gunn and starring David Corenswet. The film earned approximately $618.7 million worldwide after opening in July 2025.
The movie introduced a more optimistic version of Superman while establishing several supporting characters within the new DC Universe. Its performance gave the studio an encouraging start and helped distinguish Gunn's approach from earlier films centered on the character.
The momentum weakened when Supergirl, starring Milly Alcock, arrived in theaters in 2026. The film collected approximately $126 million worldwide, falling well short of expectations for a major superhero release.
The result raised questions about whether the new DC Universe could consistently attract large audiences beyond Superman. Although the studio had ambitious plans for interconnected storytelling, one successful film did not guarantee that audiences would embrace every character.
Clayface, a horror-focused DC film released in October 2026, performed more favorably relative to its smaller scale. The movie has earned approximately $109 million worldwide, demonstrating that some less conventional comic book projects can find an audience.
According to the Associated Press, the contrasting performances of these films formed part of the backdrop to the leadership change. However, Skydance has not publicly identified the failure of Supergirl as the sole reason for replacing Gunn and Safran.
James Gunn Will Continue Working on Man of Tomorrow
Despite losing his executive position, Gunn is not leaving DC filmmaking. He remains the writer and director of Man of Tomorrow, which is scheduled for theatrical release on July 9, 2027.
The film continues the story introduced in Superman, bringing back Corenswet as Clark Kent and Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor. The two characters will face a larger threat involving Brainiac, portrayed by German actor Lars Eidinger.
The cast also includes Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Aaron Pierre as Green Lantern John Stewart and Nathan Fillion as Green Lantern Guy Gardner. Milly Alcock is also expected to return as Supergirl, connecting the upcoming film to other recent DC productions.
Those returning characters suggest that the established DC Universe will continue in at least some upcoming projects. The studio has not announced plans to replace its current Superman or abandon the continuity introduced in 2025.
Gunn and Safran confirmed their intention to remain involved in storytelling when Skydance announced the leadership transition. They expressed pride in their work and said they were looking forward to concentrating on filmmaking rather than corporate management.
Gunn has also discussed the demanding nature of running a studio while simultaneously writing and directing major productions. Returning to filmmaking will allow him to focus more directly on individual creative projects.
Both Gunn and Safran remain attached as producers to The Batman Part II, which stars Robert Pattinson. That film belongs to a separate Batman continuity and is not part of the interconnected DC Universe built around Corenswet's Superman.
What Happens to Lanterns and Other DC Projects?
The leadership change also creates uncertainty around DC Studios' television plans. Gunn and Safran developed a slate designed to connect films, live-action series and animation while allowing individual projects to maintain different tones.
Among those productions is HBO's Lanterns, starring Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan and Aaron Pierre as John Stewart. The series takes a detective-oriented approach to the Green Lantern mythology rather than focusing exclusively on large-scale superhero action.
The characters also have connections to the wider franchise, including Pierre's appearance in Man of Tomorrow. However, no official announcement has established that Lanterns will receive another season under Latcham.
Other projects developed during Gunn and Safran's tenure include Peacemaker, Creature Commandos and the upcoming The People v. Gorilla Grodd. Their continued development could provide a bridge between the previous leadership's plans and the strategy adopted by Latcham.
The studio also has longer-term ambitions involving Batman, Wonder Woman and other prominent DC characters. Some productions are further along than others, and several still lack confirmed release schedules.
A complete restart would require significant changes to the studio's existing commitments. Continuing the current storyline with adjustments would allow Skydance to preserve established casts and projects while placing future creative decisions under new management.
Skydance Merger Brings a New Direction to Warner Bros.
The DC Studios shake-up is one of the most visible creative changes following Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The transaction brought Warner Bros., HBO, DC and several major television networks under the same corporate ownership as Paramount.
Skydance is now overseeing a substantial collection of film franchises, television properties and streaming operations. Its leadership faces pressure to improve financial performance while managing the costs associated with integrating the companies.
DC remains an important entertainment property because of the worldwide recognition of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and other characters. Successful films and television series can generate revenue through theatrical releases, streaming subscriptions, merchandise and licensing.
The challenge for Latcham will be balancing those commercial opportunities with the creative continuity audiences have already experienced. His Marvel background provides experience with interconnected superhero storytelling, although Skydance has not announced whether he intends to adopt a similar model for DC.
For now, December 1 marks a leadership transition rather than a confirmed cinematic reset. Gunn's Man of Tomorrow remains scheduled for July 2027, and Latcham's first major decisions will help establish how much of the current DC Universe continues under the new ownership.