DCU shake-up: James Gunn and Peter Safran out post-merger

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a shocking departure

Producer and former Kevin Feige protege Jeremy Latcham will replace Gunn and Safran.

HBO did right by the DCU with Lanterns, while Supergirl bombed at the box office. Credit: HBO

It’s barely been two months since the controversial Paramount and Warner Bros. merger, and we’ve already got a shockingly unexpected ouster: Co-CEOs of the rebooted DC Universe, James Gunn and Peter Safran, are stepping down from that role despite the Hollywood rumor mill assuming that the duo would be safe.

It’s unclear whether the pair chose to resign or were forced out, or what will happen to their planned slate of projects beyond 2028’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow, which is in post-production. Producer Jeremy Latcham—a protege of Marvel’s Kevin Feige who worked with Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy among other MCU films—will replace them. Per Gunn and Safran’s joint statement:

Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision. In that time, we helped restore Superman to the heart of DC, while opening new doors and telling new stories in film and television with Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns and Clayface. We’re immensely proud of the team that turned that ambition into something real, including the actors, crews and executives we had the opportunity to collaborate with. We’ve shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we’re eager to see the perspective he brings to DC’s next chapter. We’re excited to return to what drew us to this job in the first place, which is telling the stories we love, including the next chapter of Clark and Lex’s journey in Man of Tomorrow.

DCU fans are mourning the news and what it could mean for the franchise. My feelings are mixed. On the one hand, I’m on record that I’ve found the rebooted DC Universe films released thus far to be enjoyable but rather forgettable, even when the positives outweigh the negatives. (I have yet to see Clayface, which debuted to good reviews and a solid box office showing.) But HBO has done right by the DCU: I loved both seasons of Peacemaker; Lanterns is a shining beacon of what is possible when someone is allowed to get really creative within the genre; and I’m very much looking forward to next year’s Jimmy Olsen (Skylar Gisondo) series The People v. Gorilla Grodd—described as a “mockumentary crime comedy superhero series.”

I also love Gunn’s more irreverent sensibility with superhero fare and his rapport with fans. At least now he will get to focus on what he does best—and Gunn seems to feel the same way, per his personal Instagram post. Gunn says he had mixed feelings about taking the job at first but “couldn’t pass up the unique opportunity,” adding that he has no regrets and is glad he took it.

But Gunn also noted that he sometimes found the job trying, with very little time to recharge between projects; that his ADHD made it challenging to juggle so many projects at once; and that he disliked “the at-times corporate nature of the job,” thanking Safran for “taking the brunt of that.” He concluded, “I will miss being the co-caretaker of these great characters, but I’m also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking.”

Into the unknown

While Gunn and Safran reported directly to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav—unusual for the industry—Latcham will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of the Skydance Motion Picture Group. “Jeremy brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase, recognizing that they are the very foundation of this storied, multigenerational brand,” Goldberg and Greenstein said in a statement. “Under his leadership, every film and television show will be ushered from start to finish through the prism of the legions of fans who love and champion it. Jeremy’s track record exemplifies the excellence he will bring to building out DC and the many beloved characters within it.”

Latcham issued his own statement:

DC’s pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture. 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 honored for the opportunity to now lead DC Studios into its next era. The chance to steward the incredible cast of DC characters to the screen in a way that excites lifelong fans while introducing their timeless stories to the next generation is a massive responsibility that I do not take lightly. I am grateful to Dana and Josh for putting their trust in me. I can’t wait to work night and day alongside filmmakers, comic book creators, artists and storytellers of every kind, across film, television and animation, to build something ambitious for longtime DC fans and newcomers alike.

Latcham has the superhero bona fides, having been a producer on some of Marvel’s biggest hits: Guardians, Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Age of Ultron, and 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming. He left to create his own production company, which spearheaded 2023’s Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale.

The DCU should be in capable hands, even if the overall vision changes. I’d like to see the DCU move away from the connected universe model and back to standalone films where the storytelling and character development aren’t beholden to setting up the next three films. But I’m not the head of a major studio.

Jennifer is a senior writer at Ars Technica with a particular focus on where science meets culture, covering everything from physics and related interdisciplinary topics to her favorite films and TV series. Jennifer lives in Baltimore with her spouse, physicist Sean M. Carroll, and their two cats, Ariel and Caliban.

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