James Gunn and Peter Safran Are Out at DC Studios — Marvel Veteran Jeremy Latcham Takes Over

James Gunn leaves DC Studios after four years at the top, and the move has stunned Hollywood. Skydance announced the news on Monday, November 9, 2026. Gunn and fellow co-CEO Peter Safran will step away from running the studio. Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham will take over as president and chief creative officer on December 1. The timing shocked the industry because, only weeks ago, the pair looked safe under the studio’s new owners.

In a joint statement, Gunn and Safran looked back on the job with pride. “Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision,” they said. “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.” Skydance chairman David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz praised the pair for leading DC through “a period of real transformation.”

Why James Gunn Leaves DC Studios Now

The exit is surprising because Skydance had just signaled the opposite. Its roughly $111 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery closed on October 6, and Gunn and Safran were named to Ellison’s leadership team. As recently as November 1, Gunn confirmed the pair would report directly to Skydance leadership. Deadline had reported on October 2 that they would stay on after a meeting with Ellison went well. So Monday’s announcement landed like a shockwave.

The exact nature of the departure is still unclear. The Hollywood Reporter describes Gunn and Safran as stepping down, while Variety reports that the pair were fired. Skydance has confirmed neither account, so the “why” remains an open question.

Gunn’s own farewell message, posted to Threads and Instagram, sounded more relieved than bitter. He called the past four years “trying, to say the least.” He also said he disliked the corporate side of the job. “I’m incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking,” he wrote. He also said his ADHD hyperfocus made it hard to split his time. He had to divide it between the projects he loved and the duties of a studio chief. In short, the filmmaker missed filmmaking.

Who Is Jeremy Latcham, the New DC Studios Boss?

Jeremy Latcham’s Marvel Résumé

Latcham is no stranger to superhero cinema. He spent years at Marvel Studios as senior vice president of production and development. His credits stretch back to the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He was associate producer on Iron Man and co-producer on Iron Man 2. He also executive-produced The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Spider-Man: Homecoming. In other words, the man now running DC helped build the rival universe.

He also has history with Gunn. The two worked together at Marvel during the Guardians of the Galaxy years. Gunn and Safran said they have “shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel.” Latcham struck a respectful tone. He called DC’s characters “among the most iconic in American popular culture” and the job “a massive responsibility that I do not take lightly.”

One detail matters: Latcham will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, the co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. Gunn and Safran, by contrast, reported directly to Warner Bros. leadership. The new structure puts DC one step further from the very top.

What James Gunn Leaving DC Studios Means for Superman and the DCU

The good news for fans is that Gunn is not leaving DC completely. He and Safran will return to full-time creative work. Gunn is still attached to Man of Tomorrow, the Superman sequel now in post-production and dated for July 9, 2027. He is also writing another DC project. Still, he added, “we’ll see where it goes after that.”

Under Gunn and Safran, the new DC Universe produced three films and three television series. Superman led the way in 2025, followed by Peacemaker, Creature Commandos and Lanterns. Not everything landed: Supergirl was less successful, while Clayface found its audience on a small budget. The open question now is how much of Gunn’s plan survives. Projects already in production, like Man of Tomorrow, are likely safe. The development slate is where a new boss usually makes his mark.

The Batman Part II is the other big title on the horizon. Its fate will be one of Latcham’s first tests. Meanwhile, Lanterns fans are still waiting on a season 2 decision. HBO has not officially renewed the show, even though its team is already deep into development. Read our full breakdown of the Lanterns season 2 renewal status, ratings and the finale’s surprise cameo. For DC’s box office fortunes, Clayface’s Halloween weekend run shows how the studio’s smaller bets are performing. Our Lanterns episode 6 recap explains the DCU’s first live-action Batman reference.

The James Gunn DC Studios Era: A Timeline

What’s Next for DC Studios

Latcham’s first months will set the tone. He must decide which projects in development move forward, which stall, and whether Gunn’s connected-universe blueprint stays intact. DC already reset once this decade, when Gunn and Safran replaced the old Snyder-era plan. A second reset so soon would test fan patience. Expect Latcham to keep the popular pieces and quietly reshape the rest.

For Gunn, the future looks simpler. He gets his weekends back, in his own telling, and returns to writing and directing. For DC fans, the twist is hard to miss. The executive who helped launch Marvel’s golden age now runs its oldest rival. Latcham could bring a little of that Marvel magic with him. If he does, the next chapter of the DC Universe could be its most interesting yet.

Sources

• Polygon — “DC Studios Hit with Major Shakeup: James Gunn & Peter Safran Officially Leaving,” November 9, 2026.
• Syfy Wire — “James Gunn and Peter Safran Out at DC Studios: What Does This Mean For The DC Universe?” November 9, 2026 (reporting on Variety).
• Parade — “James Gunn and Peter Safran Step Down From DC Studios; A Marvel Alum Takes Their Place,” November 9, 2026.
• The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, November 9 and October 2, 2026 (via trade coverage of the announcement).
• James Gunn on Threads and Instagram, November 9, 2026.

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