The key facts
- Gunn and Safran leave their posts as co-chairs of DC Studios after four years
- Former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham will become president and chief creative officer from December 1
- Superman grossed about $618–619 million, Supergirl about $126 million on a $170 million budget
DC Studios leadership change
James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down from their leadership positions at DC Studios after four years. The personnel changes were reported by Variety, while the departure was officially announced by Skydance Motion Picture Group. The studio's new head will be Jeremy Latcham — a former top executive at Marvel Studios who worked on Iron Man and The Avengers and collaborated with Gunn and Safran on Guardians of the Galaxy. From December 1, he will take up the posts of president and chief creative officer of DC Studios and will be responsible for the next phase of DC film and television projects — from Superman and Batman to Wonder Woman.
What was accomplished in four years and why the change happened
Gunn and Safran took over the studio in 2022 by decision of then Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav; their task was to revitalize the DC cinematic universe and create a rival to Marvel. Their first film, Superman (2025), grossed about $618–619 million worldwide (outlets cite slightly different figures), but the second release — Supergirl in June 2026 — flopped: about $126 million against a production budget of $170 million. It was followed in October by the horror film Clayface. In Deutsche Welle's assessment, DC as a whole failed to match the profits and cultural influence of the early years of the Marvel cinematic universe.
Context: Warner Bros' transition to Skydance
The executives' departure became another major shake-up in the franchise after Warner Bros was absorbed by Skydance — a deal that took place just one year after Superman's release. Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison thanked Gunn and Safran in a statement for having 'launched a new era of DC Studios' and 'rebuilt the foundation' of the franchise. Deutsche Welle also notes the political backdrop: Superman sparked controversy in 2025 after Gunn described the superhero as an immigrant, and conservative commentators accused the film of being 'woke'; however, according to the outlet, there is no evidence that this controversy played a role in the leadership change. Ellison himself, who has close ties to the Donald Trump administration, denies that the company has been politicized.
What remains on the slate
Gunn and Safran are leaving their management posts but will continue to work with the studio, focusing on creative work. Gunn is finishing Superman: Man of Tomorrow (according to Life.ru, the premiere is scheduled for summer 2027; Deutsche Welle refers to this sequel as Man of Tomorrow). Also in development is The Batman — Part II with Robert Pattinson, due out in 2028, as well as, according to Deutsche Welle, the TV series The People v. Gorilla Grodd. Several projects launched under the previous leadership remain in production.
