James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as the heads of DC Studios, ending a four-year run overseeing Warner Bros.' DC film and television universe. Marvel Studios veteran Jeremy Latcham is replacing them, according to reports published Monday by Collider and Kotaku, which credited Variety with first reporting the change.
Gunn is not leaving the DC Universe entirely. Kotaku reports he is still attached to Man of Tomorrow, the follow-up to last year's Superman, which Gunn wrote and directed. Collider reports that both Gunn and Safran will continue to produce DC projects.
In a statement to Variety, quoted by Kotaku, the pair said, "Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision," and said they were excited to return to the creative work that first drew them to the job. They also pointed to their shared history with Latcham dating back to Marvel.
Who is Jeremy Latcham?
Latcham worked at Marvel Studios in its early years and produced films including Avengers and Gunn's own Guardians of the Galaxy, according to both outlets. Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group, said in a statement quoted by Kotaku that Latcham "brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase."
Collider notes the leadership change follows the merger that united DC's parent company, Warner Bros., with Paramount.
A mixed run for the DCU
Under Gunn and Safran, DC launched Superman in theaters and HBO Max series including Peacemaker and Lanterns, which Kotaku says were well received. This year's Supergirl underperformed at the box office, while Clayface, the body-horror take on the Batman villain, opened last month.
Clayface, starring Naomi Ackie, recently crossed $100 million worldwide in its third weekend. Cup of Soul previously covered how Ackie entered the DC Universe with the film and the first Lanterns trailer starring Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre.
Kotaku also notes the studio has an upcoming mockumentary series, The People v. Gorilla Grodd, starring Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen. No effective date for the transition has been announced, and Collider describes the story as developing.
