A major leadership change is coming to DC Studios. James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down from their positions as co-chairmen and co-CEOs of the studio, with former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham taking over as president and chief creative officer beginning December 1.
The announcement, first reported by Deadline on Monday, November 9, marks a significant transition for the studio just four years after Gunn and Safran were appointed to oversee a sweeping reinvention of DC’s film and television franchises.
However, the leadership change does not mean Gunn and Safran are leaving DC behind.
The pair will continue producing various DC projects while returning to full-time creative work, including their involvement with Man of Tomorrow, Gunn’s upcoming sequel to 2025’s Superman.
The shakeup comes barely a month after Paramount completed its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, establishing the newly combined Skydance Corporation and placing DC Studios under new corporate ownership.
A Major Leadership Reversal Following the Skydance Merger
The timing of the announcement is particularly notable.
On October 5, Skydance announced its new executive leadership structure, explicitly retaining Gunn and Safran as co-chairmen of DC Studios. Under that arrangement, both executives were expected to report directly to Skydance Chairman and CEO David Ellison and Co-CEO Ynon Kreiz.
Their inclusion appeared to signal continuity for the DC Universe following the merger.
In interviews surrounding the October premiere of Clayface, Gunn and Safran also expressed confidence in their relationship with Ellison and the future of their DC plans.
Now, just weeks later, Skydance has announced a different leadership structure.
Under the new arrangement, Latcham will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group, rather than directly to Ellison and Kreiz.
The move represents a significant change in how DC Studios will be managed within its parent company.
Although the announcement confirms the transition, it does not establish whether Gunn and Safran initiated the decision, whether it originated with Skydance leadership, or whether it was mutually agreed upon.
Jeremy Latcham Takes the Reins at DC Studios
Latcham brings extensive superhero filmmaking experience to his new position.
A longtime Marvel Studios executive who worked closely with Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, Latcham helped develop and produce several major franchises within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Iron Man, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Spider-Man.
He previously served as Marvel Studios’ senior vice president of production and development.
His appointment also brings a familiar creative relationship to DC Studios.
Latcham previously worked with Gunn on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, establishing a professional connection that predates Gunn’s move to DC.
As president and chief creative officer, Latcham will oversee DC Studios’ film, television, and animation slate, including creative development, production, talent relationships, and overall strategy.
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Latcham expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to guide DC’s characters into their next chapter, emphasizing the importance of both longtime fans and new audiences.
Skydance Motion Picture Group leaders Goldberg and Greenstein likewise expressed confidence in Latcham’s experience and his understanding of DC’s characters and audience.
Gunn and Safran Aren’t Done With DC
Perhaps the most important distinction in Monday’s announcement is that Gunn and Safran are stepping away from executive management, not abandoning the DC Universe they helped establish.
Both will remain involved in producing projects under the DC banner.
In their joint statement, the pair reflected on their four years leading the studio and the work accomplished during their tenure.
They pointed to the return of Superman, the expansion of DC storytelling across television and animation, and projects including Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, and Clayface.
They also expressed support for Latcham, acknowledging their shared history at Marvel and welcoming the perspective he will bring to DC’s next chapter.
Most importantly, Gunn and Safran emphasized their enthusiasm for returning to storytelling, specifically referencing the continuing story of Clark Kent and Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow.
Gunn has also addressed the transition personally on Instagram.
According to The Verge, the filmmaker discussed the corporate responsibilities associated with leading DC Studios and thanked Safran for helping manage those demands.
Gunn additionally revealed that he and Safran have begun developing another DC project that he is writing, although further details about that production have not been announced.
Their continued creative participation suggests that the leadership transition will not necessarily bring an immediate end to the projects they have developed.
What Happens to the DC Universe?
Gunn and Safran were appointed to lead DC Studios in October 2022 by then-Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
Their mandate was ambitious: establish a unified creative strategy for DC properties across theatrical films, television, animation, and other entertainment platforms.
In January 2023, they introduced the opening chapter of their new DC Universe, titled Gods and Monsters.
The initiative established a new continuity while allowing select projects, including Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, to operate independently.
Gunn’s Superman, starring David Corenswet as Clark Kent, debuted in July 2025 and earned approximately $618.7 million worldwide.
Other projects developed or released during their tenure include Creature Commandos, the second season of Peacemaker, Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface.
The studio’s theatrical results have varied.
While Superman delivered a strong worldwide performance, Supergirl earned approximately $126 million globally against a reported $170 million production budget. The lower-budget Clayface has generated approximately $109 million worldwide.
These results provide context for the studio’s recent performance, although Skydance has not publicly identified box-office returns as the reason for the leadership transition.
Looking ahead, Man of Tomorrow remains scheduled for July 9, 2027, with Gunn writing and directing.
Other upcoming DC productions include The Batman Part II, scheduled for 2028, and the HBO Max series The People v. Gorilla Grodd.
Gunn and Safran remain involved with several projects, including executive producing The People v. Gorilla Grodd and producing The Batman Part II, according to industry reporting.
At present, there has been no announcement of a wholesale cancellation or reboot of the existing DC Universe.
However, with Latcham assuming responsibility for future development and overall strategy, questions remain about how closely the studio’s next phase will follow the long-term roadmap established by Gunn and Safran.
Skydance Leadership Addresses the Transition
In a joint statement, Skydance executives David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz acknowledged Gunn and Safran’s contributions to rebuilding DC Studios and establishing a new creative foundation.
The executives also expressed confidence in Latcham’s ability to lead the studio forward while emphasizing the importance of a collaborative transition.
Their comments indicate that Gunn and Safran are expected to remain involved as the leadership change takes effect.
The announcement represents one of the most consequential executive decisions affecting DC since Gunn and Safran were originally appointed in 2022.
It also places a veteran of Marvel Studios’ early cinematic expansion in charge of one of Marvel’s most prominent competitors.
A New Chapter, Not Necessarily a New Beginning
For DC fans, Monday’s announcement understandably raises questions about the future of the franchise.
Gunn and Safran spent four years establishing a connected universe, assembling creative teams, developing long-term plans, and introducing a new generation of DC characters to audiences.
Their departure from executive leadership represents a major organizational change, but their continued involvement means that the creative transition may be more gradual than the headlines initially suggest.
Latcham now inherits a studio with an established slate, several major productions underway, and a universe whose long-term direction has already been mapped out.
Whether he maintains that direction, modifies individual projects, or eventually establishes a different creative strategy remains to be seen.
For now, the clearest takeaway is that DC Studios is changing leadership, not automatically starting over.
James Gunn and Peter Safran may be leaving the executive offices, but their work in the DC Universe is far from finished.
Up Your Geek will continue monitoring developments surrounding DC Studios, Jeremy Latcham’s appointment, and the future of the DC Universe as additional information becomes available.
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