James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down from their leadership positions at DC Studios after four years, marking another major shake-up for the superhero entertainment division following Skydance’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham has been appointed president and chief creative officer, with the transition scheduled to take effect Dec. 1, 2026.
The announcement was made Monday by Skydance Motion Picture Group, which confirmed that Gunn and Safran will leave their co-CEO roles and return to full-time creative work. The two executives were appointed in 2022 to oversee DC’s film, television and animation operations, establishing a unified creative direction for the franchise. Their departure comes after earlier indications that they would remain in charge following the Skydance takeover.
Latcham brings extensive experience in comic book adaptations, having played a significant role in Marvel Studios’ early cinematic universe. His credits include executive work on “Iron Man,” “The Avengers” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” the latter of which brought him together professionally with Gunn and Safran. He left Marvel in 2017 and subsequently worked as a producer on projects including “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.” In his new position, Latcham will oversee DC’s creative operations and report to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein.
During their tenure, Gunn and Safran launched a new DC slate that included “Superman,” “Supergirl,” “Clayface,” “Peacemaker” and “Creature Commandos,” while also overseeing projects such as HBO’s “The Penguin.” The results were mixed commercially, with Gunn’s 2025 “Superman” earning approximately $618.7 million worldwide, while “Supergirl” struggled at the box office. “Clayface,” meanwhile, has generated approximately $109 million worldwide. Several projects developed under their leadership will continue moving forward, including Gunn’s “Man of Tomorrow,” scheduled for July 2027, and “The Batman: Part II.”
Although their executive tenure is ending, Gunn and Safran are expected to remain involved in DC projects as producers and creative collaborators. Both expressed support for Latcham’s appointment, pointing to their previous working relationship at Marvel.
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