James Gunn, Peter Safran Out as Co-Chairmen
In a surprise executive change at the top, James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios. They will be replaced by Jeremy Latcham, who will serve as president and chief creative officer.
Gunn and Safran’s are gone from the top position at DC Studios. There is new things happening because of renamed Skydance when Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery had closed in October. After four years as heads of DC, resetting the studio’s comic book division to mixed commercial results, Gunn and Safran will return full time to creative work.
The numbers just were not there with last summer’s “Superman,” a relative success with $618 million globally, and then stumbled with July’s “Supergirl,” a massive bomb with $126 million on a $170 million budget. “Clayface,” a darker, R-rated body-horror thriller, performed modestly this fall with $109 million on a $44 million budget. Meanwhile, they expanded the comic book empire to streaming with its “Peacemaker” and “Lanterns” shows for HBO Max which had mixed reviews and viewer comments.
DC’s upcoming big-screen movies include next summer’s “Superman: Man of Tomorrow,” written and directed by Gunn, and 2028’s “The Batman: Part II,” starring Robert Pattinson. On the television screen, there’s the 2027 series “The People v. Gorilla Grodd,” with actors Skyler Gisondo as his “Superman” character Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Tatro as Gorilla Grodd. As far as we know they will still be seen.
“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,’” Gunn and Safran said. “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.’”
Gunn posted a statement to social media after the announcement, saying “What only the closest people to me have known over the past four years is my time at DC Studios has been trying, to say the least. I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job.”
David Ellison the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Skydance and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz praised Gunn and Safran for “[launching] a new era for DC Studios and [leading] it through a period of real transformation.”
“We’re grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand,” Ellison and Kreiz said in a statement. “Jeremy has been a longtime creative partner to both, and we have complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care. We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans.”
Ellison also posted a statement to social media welcoming Latcham.
Latcham, a Marvel veteran whose credits include “Iron Man,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “The Avengers,” 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 Skydance Motion Picture Group.
“Jeremy brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase, recognizing that they are the very foundation of this storied, multigenerational brand,” said Goldberg and Greenstein. “Under his leadership, every film and television show will be ushered from start to finish through the prism of the legions of fans who love and champion it. Jeremy’s track record exemplifies the excellence he will bring to building out DC and the many beloved characters within it.”
Latcham joined Marvel Studios in 2004 and rose to senior VP of production and development, working closely with president and CCO Kevin Feige to launch the MCU. Latcham was associate producer on “Iron Man,” a co-producer on “Iron Man 2,” and executive producer on “The Avengers,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.”
The bottom line is “follow the money”, if the movie endeavors for had made billions they would still be around in leadership. My only hope is that what comes out in the future from the new crative teams are quality and enjoyable entertainment. Stick around and we will find out together. Stay tuned! Walt 🙂