James Gunn and Peter Safran Leaving DC Studios

(L to R) Peter Safran and James Gunn attend the 'Clayface' Los Angeles World Premiere at Hollywood Legion Theater on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures. — (L to R) Peter Safran and James Gunn attend the ‘Clayface’ Los Angeles World Premiere at Hollywood Legion Theater on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures.

Preview:

James Gunn and Peter Safran are out as the co-chiefs of DC Studios.
Jeremy Latcham is replacing them.
Skydance/Warner Bros. made the announcement today.

Here’s news we’re not sure we could have predicted… Though given the changeable nature behind the scenes at Warner Bros.’ DC arm, maybe we should have.

‘Superman’ writer/director James Gunn andPeter Safran, who since 2022 have served as the co-chiefs of DC Studios, are stepping down immediately.

Superman

“Look up.”

Release Jul 11, 2025Runtime 2h 10mBudget $225M

Jeremy Latcham, a veteran of Marvel Studios who then founded his own production company, 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 the Skydance Motion Picture Group.

What happened with Gunn and Safran?

(L to R) Director James Gunn and David Corenswet on the set of DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ 'Superman', a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. — (L to R) Director James Gunn and David Corenswet on the set of DC Studios’ and Warner Bros. Pictures’ ‘Superman’, a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Photo by Jessica Miglio. Copyright: © 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Announced with much fanfare back in 2022, the director (who handled creative decisions) and his producing partner (who took on the business side) had a mixed time at DC. They saw success with ‘Superman’ but ‘Supergirl’ struggled and ‘Clayface’ has been a more modest performer.

On the small screen, they shepherded the likes of ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Lanterns’ and had been talking up plans for future movies and shows (including ‘Superman’ follow-up ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ which is in post and will fly into theaters next year), but are now seemingly going back to just working on their own projects.

James Gunn and Peter Safran leave DC Studios: the executives talk

James Gunn attends the 'Clayface' Los Angeles World Premiere at Hollywood Legion Theater on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures. — James Gunn attends the ‘Clayface’ Los Angeles World Premiere at Hollywood Legion Theater on October 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Photo by Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures.

Here’s Gunn and Safran’s statement on them leaving:

“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.’”