James Gunn, Peter Safran Out as DC Studios Heads
James Gunn and Peter Safran are leaving their DC Studios leadership roles, with former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham set to take over, outlets report.
James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-chiefs who have run DC Studios since 2022, are leaving their leadership roles at the superhero film and television studio, and former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham is set to replace them, according to multiple entertainment outlets. DC Studios now sits under Skydance, the media company behind the Paramount-Warner Bros. combination.
The Verge, citing a report from Deadline, said Gunn and Safran will “continue to produce on various DC projects” even as they step away from running the studio. Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and SlashFilm all reported the change on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026.
What happened
Gunn, a filmmaker best known for directing the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the 2025 film Superman, and Safran, a veteran film and television producer, were named co-CEOs of DC Studios in late 2022. Their job was to build a connected DC Universe across movies, television and animation.
Their replacement is Jeremy Latcham, who spent years at Marvel Studios and rose to senior vice president of production and development. Variety reported that Latcham will serve as president and chief creative officer of DC Studios. GamesRadar, citing The Hollywood Reporter, gave the effective date as Dec. 1, 2026. Trade coverage describes Latcham as a longtime collaborator of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige on the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Outlets differ in how they describe the exit. The Hollywood Reporter characterized Gunn and Safran as stepping down, and reports said the pair plan to return to creative work. Variety’s headline, by contrast, said they were fired. The reports do not agree on whether the departure was the pair’s own choice, and neither man’s own account of the decision was available in the coverage reviewed.
Why it matters
DC Studios is the unit responsible for some of the best-known characters in entertainment, including Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Gunn and Safran were brought in to replace an earlier, loosely connected film strategy with a single, planned slate. Their exit, only four years into that effort, ends the leadership team that launched the rebooted universe, SlashFilm noted.
The change also follows the corporate shake-up around DC’s parent. Coverage ties the leadership switch to the merger that united Warner Bros. with Paramount under Skydance, the company that now controls the studio. A new owner replacing creative leaders is common after large media mergers, though the outlets reviewed did not publish a detailed explanation from the company of why the decision was made.
What is confirmed and what is not
Confirmed by several outlets: Gunn and Safran are leaving the top DC Studios roles, and Latcham is taking over. Reported by Deadline via The Verge: the pair will remain involved as producers on various DC projects.
Not yet clear from the reporting reviewed: how the upcoming DC slate of films and television series will change under Latcham, whether Gunn will direct future DC projects, and the precise terms of the departures. It is also unclear whether the leaders’ departure was voluntary. Skydance, Gunn and Safran had not been quoted at length in the coverage reviewed, and Economy Media has not seen a full public statement from them on the reasons.
What comes next
Latcham is expected to begin on Dec. 1, according to the reports, and will oversee DC’s film, television and animation output. Fans and industry observers will be watching for any announcement about the status of previously announced projects and release dates. Further details are likely to emerge as the studio and its new leadership address the transition.
