James Gunn: DC Studios Exit Follows Costly Box-Office Results
James Gunn and Peter Safran have been dismissed from the leadership of DC Studios, with Jeremy Latcham taking over as president and chief creative officer. The change follows mixed results for the studio’s film slate: “Supergirl” earned $126 million globally against a $170 million budget, while “Clayface” brought in $109 million against a $44 million budget.
James Gunn and Peter Safran have been dismissed from DC Studios, where Jeremy Latcham will take over as president and chief creative officer, after the studio’s films delivered mixed box-office results. The studios exit James Gunn marks a leadership change following projects that drew scrutiny over their costs and audience appeal.
Gunn and Safran joined DC Studios in 2022 to overhaul some of the company’s most valuable intellectual property. Their tenure ended after a series of films and television projects that did not consistently generate enough audience interest to justify their price tags.
Box-office returns varied
“Superman,” starring David Corenswet, earned $618 million against a $225 million budget. The film was the pair’s first major release as studio leaders, but its sales did not guarantee lasting enthusiasm for an interconnected DC universe.
“Supergirl” then brought in $126 million globally against a $170 million budget. “Clayface” earned $109 million against a $44 million budget, though the thriller was not expected to break even until downstream revenue was included.
A studio insider criticized the emphasis on bigger spending. “Higher budgets don’t equal quality storytelling,” the insider said.
Leadership shifts at DC
The change follows a planned restructuring under Skydance. David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz had planned to move Gunn and Safran’s reporting line to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, the new chiefs of Skydance Motion Picture Group.
Gunn and Safran had been told they would join Ellison’s business leadership team after Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery closed in October. The new reporting arrangement would have represented a demotion from their previous position, where they reported directly to former Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
Latcham, a former Marvel Studios executive, is now set to lead DC Studios. The change is another leadership turnover for the comic-book division, which has struggled to compete with Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe.
DC’s television results were also uneven. “The Penguin,” a “Batman” spinoff led by Colin Farrell, had been approved before Gunn and Safran took charge. Gunn’s “Peacemaker,” starring John Cena, debuted in 2022.
