“You have no power here”: James Gunn removed as head of DC Studios in favor of another Marvel alumnus

Just a month ago, Skydance announced that Gunn and Safran would retain their posts following the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.

James Gunn and Peter Safran will step down from their leadership posts at DC Studios on December 1. The shakeup came as a surprise, given that just a month ago Skydance announced that both would retain their positions following the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery. The official reason for the leadership change has not been stated, but it is possible that the new owners were dissatisfied with the studio’s results.

Over four years, Gunn and Safran rebooted the DC cinematic universe, but the box office results of the first films proved to be mixed. “Superman” grossed $618 million worldwide, but factoring in production and marketing costs, which are estimated at around $350 million, its financial success is not quite so clear-cut. “Supergirl” flopped completely, earning $126 million against a $170 million budget (excluding marketing), while the autumn release “Clayface” earned $109 million on a $44 million budget, coming right up to the break-even threshold.

Another Marvel alumnus, Jeremy Latcham, will become the new head of DC Studios. He will take up the posts of president and chief creative officer, overseeing DC films, series, and animation. From 2004 to 2017, Latcham worked at Marvel Studios, where he served as an executive producer on “The Avengers,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” and after leaving Marvel, he produced “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.”

At the same time, Gunn and Safran are not parting ways with DC completely. Gunn will continue working on the “Superman” sequel titled “Man of Tomorrow,” which is set to be released in the summer of 2027. Furthermore, both will remain producers on the second part of “The Batman” starring Robert Pattinson, with the premiere scheduled for 2028. Whether their collaboration with the studio will continue after these projects remains unknown.