James Gunn DC Studios Exit: Peter Safran Out as Marvel Veteran Jeremy Latcham Takes Over

James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving the top jobs at DC Studios, ending a four-year run in charge of Warner Bros.’ superhero division. The change was announced on Monday, 9 November 2026, with former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham named as their successor. Latcham takes over as president and chief creative officer on 1 December 2026, just weeks after Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closed.

Gunn confirmed the news himself in a statement posted to Threads on 9 November, writing that his four years running the studio had been “trying, to say the least” and that he disliked “the at-times corporate nature of the job”. He is not walking away from DC altogether. Gunn is still directing Superman: Man of Tomorrow, due in summer 2027, and has said he is writing another unannounced DC project.

James Gunn DC Studios Exit — Quick Reference Summary

A Monday Announcement That Stunned Hollywood

The news landed on Monday morning, 9 November 2026, when Variety first reported that Gunn and Safran were out, with The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline quickly matching the story. Skydance confirmed the change the same day. David Ellison, Skydance’s chairman and chief executive, and co-chief executive Ynon Kreiz were complimentary about the departing pair’s stewardship in the announcement.

Gunn’s own statement, posted to Threads, struck a personal note. He thanked the studio for the chance to steer DC and spoke warmly about projects including Peacemaker, Clayface and the upcoming Superman: Man of Tomorrow. He also made clear that the executive side of the job had worn him down, describing four years that had been “trying, to say the least” and saying he disliked “the at-times corporate nature of the job”.

In a joint statement carried by Deadline, Variety and IndieWire, Gunn and Safran said: “Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision.” Both men are expected to return to full-time creative work, with Gunn completing Man of Tomorrow and writing another DC film. The pair will also remain involved with DC projects as producers.

Four Years, Three Films and a Mixed Box Office Record

Gunn and Safran were appointed in 2022 to rebuild DC’s screen universe around a single shared continuity. The commercial record of that rebuild was uneven, and the numbers help explain why the studio’s new owners moved so quickly after taking control.

The figures come from TheWrap’s analysis of the slate. Superman, starring David Corenswet, was the commercial anchor of the new DC Universe and comfortably covered its costs. Supergirl, by contrast, earned less worldwide than its reported $170 million production budget. Clayface, made for $44 million, returned $109 million and was profitable, but on a much smaller scale than a flagship superhero release is expected to deliver.

The mixed returns left the new DC Universe without a consistent box-office engine beyond its Superman relaunch. That context matters, because the leadership change was announced barely a month after the ownership of the studio changed hands.

The Skydance Takeover Changed the Reporting Lines

Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closed on 6 October 2026, putting DC Studios under Skydance’s control. Gunn and Safran had initially survived the deal and were named to David Ellison’s business leadership team at the renamed Skydance. As recently as 1 November, Gunn had confirmed that he and Safran would report directly to Skydance leadership and said the new owners were supportive of their plans for the DC Universe.

The reversal came within days. Under the restructuring, the DC heads were to report to Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, the co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group, rather than directly to Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav as before. Latcham will report to Goldberg and Greenstein in his new role.

Skydance has not publicly explained the reason for the change, and neither side has settled the question of whether Gunn and Safran chose to leave or were pushed out. Variety’s first report framed the pair as having been fired, while its later account and The Hollywood Reporter’s coverage describe them as stepping down. The reporting has evolved rather than resolved the point, so this article treats the departure as announced and leaves the private negotiations where they belong: unreported.

Who Is Jeremy Latcham, the Marvel Veteran Taking Charge

Jeremy Latcham is a long-time Marvel Studios producer and executive who helped launch the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He served as Marvel’s senior vice president of production and development and worked directly with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy. His producing credits include Iron Man, The Avengers and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

The appointment puts a Marvel veteran in charge of DC’s film, television and animation slate, a move that has drawn attention across the industry. Latcham will run the studio’s creative pipeline, production, talent and overall strategy, reporting to Goldberg and Greenstein. He takes over on 1 December 2026.

Ellison welcomed Latcham in Skydance’s announcement, while Gunn’s statement hinted at a continuing relationship with DC, saying he had recently discussed writing for another unannounced DC project. The two men have history: Latcham worked with Gunn on the Guardians films, and Gunn’s statement suggests the professional respect runs both ways.

What Happens to Superman: Man of Tomorrow and the Rest of the Slate

The most immediate question for audiences is whether the films already in motion survive the change of leadership. On the evidence so far, the flagship project does. Gunn confirmed he is still directing Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which wrapped filming in late August and is due in summer 2027, with 9 July 2027 reported as its release date. David Corenswet returns as Superman, alongside Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Lars Eidinger joins the cast as Brainiac and Adria Arjona as Maxima, with Skyler Gisondo also returning.

The film pairs Superman with his former adversary against a larger threat, a premise that gives Hoult’s Luthor an unusually prominent role. Hoult’s connection to the Superman franchise has already drawn attention on this site: his wife, Bryana Holly, was profiled here after his performance as Lex Luthor put the couple’s private family life back in the spotlight.

Beyond Man of Tomorrow, the wider slate is less certain. The Batman: Part II, with Robert Pattinson, is dated for 2028, and the 2027 series The People v. Gorilla Grodd is also on the books. What has not been answered is whether Latcham keeps Gunn’s cast and storylines or resets them. No official statement has addressed that question, and the only DC film currently on the release calendar is Man of Tomorrow.

The uncertainty is the point. A new studio chief inherits a universe that is half-built: one hit, one costly miss, one modest success, and a sequel that its departing director is still finishing. Latcham’s first decisions will show whether the Gunn era’s DC Universe continues under new management or starts again.

Frequently Asked Questions About the James Gunn DC Studios Exit

Why did James Gunn leave DC Studios?

Skydance has not given an official reason. Gunn said in his own statement that four years in the executive role had been “trying” and that he disliked its corporate side. He is returning to full-time filmmaking.

Who is replacing James Gunn at DC Studios?

Jeremy Latcham, a former Marvel Studios executive and producer who worked on Iron Man, The Avengers and Spider-Man: Homecoming. He becomes president and chief creative officer on 1 December 2026.

Is Superman: Man of Tomorrow still happening?

Yes. Gunn confirmed he is still directing it, and it is due in summer 2027, with 9 July 2027 reported as the release date. David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult and Rachel Brosnahan all return.

Did James Gunn get fired from DC Studios?

The reporting is mixed. Variety’s first report framed the pair as fired, while later coverage from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter describes them as stepping down. Skydance has not explained the change, so neither version is confirmed as the full story.

What happens to the rest of the DC Universe now?

That is undecided. The Batman: Part II is dated for 2028 and the series The People v. Gorilla Grodd is planned for 2027, but Latcham has not said whether he will keep Gunn’s cast and storylines or reset them.

Myth-busting: what is not true about the DC Studios shake-up

One common error is to say Gunn has left DC entirely. He has not: he is still directing Superman: Man of Tomorrow and writing another DC project. Another is to treat the $111 billion Paramount deal as the purchase of DC Studios alone, when it was the acquisition of all of Warner Bros. Discovery. A third is to read the box-office figures as proof that the whole DC Universe failed, when Superman earned $618 million worldwide and Clayface turned a profit on a $44 million budget.