James Gunn Exit From DC: New Leadership Starts December 1
James Gunn and Peter Safran will leave their leadership roles at DC Studios on December 1, with Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham taking over as president and chief creative officer. Gunn is returning to filmmaking, with Man of Tomorrow among the projects already in the pipeline.
James Gunn and Peter Safran will step down from their leadership roles at DC Studios on December 1, ending a four-year run as co-chairmen and co-CEOs and bringing in Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham. The James Gunn exit leaves the studio’s next chapter under Latcham, while Gunn returns to writing and directing.
Skydance Motion Picture Group announced the change. Latcham will become DC Studios’ president and chief creative officer, reporting to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group.
Gunn and Safran said they were “excited to return to what drew us to this job in the first place, which is telling the stories we love.” They remain involved in upcoming DC work, including Man of Tomorrow, which Gunn is writing and directing.
Gunn’s DC slate continues
Gunn is in postproduction on the Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow. The film is due in July 2027, and Gunn has also said he is writing another DC project.
Other projects in the pipeline include the series The People v. Gorilla Grodd and The Batman: Part II. The leadership change will not immediately remove Gunn and Safran’s work from the slate.
Their tenure produced a mix of film and television projects, including Superman, Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns and Clayface. Superman grossed US$618.7 million worldwide, while Clayface grossed US$109 million, according to figures reported in the coverage.
Gunn described the studio role as demanding in a social media statement, saying, “What only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least.” He also said he disliked “the at-times corporate nature of the job.”
Latcham takes charge
Latcham worked on Marvel films including Iron Man and The Avengers, and collaborated with Gunn and Safran on Guardians of the Galaxy. He left Marvel in 2017 to establish Latcham Pictures.
“I’ve had the privilege to help bring some of the most celebrated superhero stories to life on the big screen, and I’m excited and honoured for the opportunity to now lead DC Studios into its next era,” Latcham said.
Gunn and Safran said they had “shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel” and looked forward to the perspective he brings to DC.
