In a surprise executive shuffle, James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios. They will be replaced by Jeremy Latcham, who will serve as president and chief creative officer.
Gunn and Safran’s exit is unexpected because they were named as part of David Ellison’s business leadership team at the newly renamed Skydance when Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery had closed in October. After four years as heads of DC, resetting the studio’s comic book division to mixed commercial results, Gunn and Safran will return full time to creative work.
Gunn and Safran were appointed in 2022 by former Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, with an edict to fashion a true rival to Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. Under their direction, the duo rebooted the languishing DC Universe with last summer’s “Superman,” a relative success with $618 million globally, and then stumbled with July’s “Supergirl,” a massive bomb with $126 million on a $170 million budget. “Clayface,” a darker, R-rated body-horror thriller, performed modestly this fall with $109 million on a $44 million budget. Meanwhile, they expanded the comic book empire to streaming with its “Peacemaker” and “Lanterns” shows for HBO Max.
DC’s upcoming big-screen endeavours include next summer’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow,” written and directed by Gunn, and 2028’s “The Batman: Part II,” starring Robert Pattinson. On the television front, there’s the 2027 series “The People v. Gorilla Grodd,” anchored by Skyler Gisondo as his “Superman” character Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd.
“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,’” Gunn and Safran said. “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.’”
Gunn posted a statement to social media after the announcement, 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. I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job.”
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Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz praised Gunn and Safran for “[launching] a new era for DC Studios and [leading] it through a period of real transformation.”
“We’re grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand,” Ellison and Kreiz said in a statement. “Jeremy has been a longtime creative partner to both, and we have complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care. We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans.”
Ellison also posted a statement to social media welcoming Latcham.
Latcham, a Marvel veteran whose credits include “Iron Man,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “The Avengers,” will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, along with production, talent and strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group.
“Jeremy brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase, recognising that they are the very foundation of this storied, multigenerational brand,” said Goldberg and Greenstein. “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 joined Marvel Studios in 2004 and rose to senior VP of production and development, working closely with president and CCO Kevin Feige to launch the MCU. Latcham was associate producer on “Iron Man,” a co-producer on “Iron Man 2,” and executive producer on “The Avengers,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
Latcham left Marvel in 2017 to found Latcham Pictures, which held first-look deals at 20th Century Fox, Hasbro and Wonder Project and produced “Bad Times at the El Royale” and “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” Recently, he held an overall deal at Hasbro Entertainment, where he was developing a “Dungeons & Dragons” sequel and an “Action Man” film, and was also producing the Lionsgate adaptaton of “Naruto” from director Destin Daniel Cretton.
“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,” said Latcham. “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.”
From Variety US