DC Studios Replaces Co-CEOs With Marvel Veteran After Four Years

James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving their positions as co-chief executives of DC Studios after four years of leadership. Skydance Motion Picture Group announced the change on Monday, effective December 1. The decision comes shortly after the studio completed its merger with Paramount Pictures, a transaction that finalized just as DC’s film “Clayface” hit theaters.

David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Skydance, selected Jeremy Latcham to take the helm. Latcham will serve as president and chief creative officer, reporting to co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. This marks the second major leadership shift for the studio since Skydance acquired Warner Bros. Discovery. Gunn and Safran had previously survived the initial acquisition but did not remain in place following the merger with Paramount.

Latcham is a veteran executive who helped build the first wave of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He worked on the development of “Iron Man” and “The Avengers” during his tenure at Marvel Studios. He also collaborated with Gunn and Safran on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise. He left Marvel in 2017 to found Latcham Pictures, where he produced films such as “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” and “Bad Times at the El Royale”.

Ellison praised the outgoing executives in a statement, noting that Gunn and Safran launched a new era for the studio. He said they led the brand through a period of real transformation and built a slate of projects the company is proud of. The statement expressed gratitude for their passion and commitment to the DC brand during a time of significant structural change.

Gunn and Safran’s tenure at DC has produced mixed results at the box office. Their first film as co-CEOs, “Superman,” grossed $618.7 million worldwide. While the film adopted a more comedic tone than Zack Snyder’s “Man of Steel,” it did not match the highest-grossing superhero films in history. Their second major release, “Supergirl,” underperformed earlier this year, marking a setback for the studio. “Clayface,” which blends superhero elements with horror, has grossed $109 million to date.

Gunn is currently in postproduction on “Man of Tomorrow,” the sequel to “Superman.” Other projects in the pipeline include the series “The People v. Gorilla Grodd” and “The Batman Part II.” These films and shows were developed under the ten-year planning framework that Gunn and Safran instituted. Although their direct leadership ends, their creative fingerprints will remain on the studio’s output for the coming years.

The incoming leadership team described Latcham as someone with a deep reverence for DC and its fanbase. Goldberg and Greenstein stated that Latcham recognizes fans as the foundation of the multigenerational brand. This approach may signal a shift in tone from the idiosyncratic and genre-bending adaptations that characterized Gunn and Safran’s tenure.

Gunn and Safran stated in a joint release that they are excited to return to their primary roles as writers and directors. They specifically mentioned their eagerness to tell the stories they love, including the next chapter of Clark and Lex’s journey in “Man of Tomorrow.” Gunn had been viewed as an unusual choice for a corporate leadership role due to his background as a filmmaker. His departure allows him to refocus on creative work rather than studio management.

Latcham expressed his excitement about leading DC Studios into its next era. He said he had the privilege of helping bring celebrated superhero stories to life on the big screen and feels honored by the opportunity. The transition highlights the continuing instability in the superhero film industry, where leadership changes often follow major corporate mergers and box office fluctuations.

The effective date of December 1 allows time for the transition of duties. Latcham will work with existing producers and directors to maintain the momentum of the current slate. The studio’s future direction will depend on how Latcham balances the established projects with new initiatives under his creative vision.