In a plot twist that feels straight out of a comic book, the architect of DC’s cinematic universe is out, and the man who gave him his big break is stepping in.
James Gunn and Peter Safran, the celebrated duo who took the reins of DC Studios in 2022, are leaving their posts. Their departure comes just four years into a tenure marked by ambitious plans and a few modest hits, but it was a Friday, November 6th meeting with their new bosses at Skydance that sealed their fate. According to sources, Gunn and Safran were informed by Skydance co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz that despite earlier promises, the new mega-studio’s plans had changed. They were out.
Their replacement is a surprising and deeply ironic choice: Jeremy Latcham, the mild-mannered producer who, as a key executive at Marvel Studios, was instrumental in hiring Gunn to direct Guardians of the Galaxy.
A Friendship Forged at Marvel
Latcham’s rise through the Marvel ranks is the stuff of Hollywood legend. He started as an assistant in 2004 when the studio was little more than an office for giving script notes. A year and a half later, he was at the ground floor of Marvel’s self-financed revolution, helping to launch Iron Man. As a producer and Kevin Feige’s right-hand man, Latcham became known for asking a simple, powerful question: “Would my grandparents like this movie?”
It was this philosophy that led him to champion an unlikely, niche director named James Gunn. Latcham’s advocacy helped turn Gunn into an A-list filmmaker with eight-figure paydays. Now, in a twist of fate, Latcham is the one taking Gunn’s job.
The Tensions Beneath the Surface
The shakeup wasn’t entirely out of the blue. Sources indicate the move had been in the works since early fall, precipitated by a call from Josh Greenstein, who now co-chairs the Skydance Motion Picture Group. Greenstein had previously worked with Latcham at both Paramount and Sony, and their history made him the natural choice to lead DC under the new regime.
The friction between the old and new guards was multi-layered:
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A War of Structure: Gunn and Safran had contracts guaranteeing they would report directly to Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav, and that this structure would hold even under new leadership. Skydance’s Greenstein and Goldberg were trying to consolidate all film production under them, creating a direct conflict. The DC duo was used to having final cut and total control; they were not about to be layered into a new hierarchy.
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Communication Breakdown: Sources say the DC heads were slow to share their plans and footage with the Skydance movie chiefs, creating further chafing.
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A Clash of Tastes and Financials: The new regime was unimpressed with DC’s financial performance. While Superman grossed $618 million and was profitable, Skydance believed it should have been a bigger pop culture event. Other projects, like Supergirl, were seen as a “disaster.” Insiders describe Ellison as having “meat and potatoes” tastes, which align more with Latcham’s goal of making broadly appealing hits for the masses than Gunn’s edgier, character-driven style.
A New Captain at the Helm
Jeremy Latcham is an interesting, almost contradictory figure to lead the charge. A family man who splits his time between Los Angeles and Texas, he is not a typical Hollywood power player. In recent years, he has focused on inspirational and faith-based projects like Flyer and the TV show House of David, openly expressing his desire to make movies that “restore faith in things worth believing in.”
He is described as a “down the middle shooter” whose goal is to get everyday people into theaters. In this, he is the perfect fit for a Skydance regime looking for reliable, crowd-pleasing blockbusters.
What’s Next for Gunn and DC?
For his part, James Gunn seems at peace with the change. In an Instagram post on Monday, he acknowledged that executive life and studio politics were not for him. “I’m also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking,” he wrote.
However, the future of his creative vision is now in question. Gunn had already wrapped production on Man of Tomorrow, the sequel to Superman slated for a July 2027 release, and was reportedly writing a third film. It is now unclear if he will get the chance to complete the Superman trilogy he envisioned, let alone the grand DC slate he and Safran announced with such fanfare in 2022.
As for the duo, they won’t be entirely severed from the studio. Peter Safran, a prolific producer behind The Conjuring franchise, will maintain a strong relationship with Warner Bros. But the era of Gunn and Safran as the public faces of DC is over. The ship has a new captain, and he’s setting a course for safer, more broadly appealing waters.