James Gunn and Peter Safran are officially stepping down as co-heads of DC Studios after four years, with former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham appointed to take over as president and chief creative officer beginning December 1, 2026. The move comes following Skydance's takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery and represents another major leadership change for the DC entertainment franchise.

The transition follows a mixed record under Gunn and Safran. Although Gunn's 2025 Superman reboot earned approximately $618 million worldwide, subsequent releases struggled to match that performance. Supergirl, the second major film under the new DC leadership, opened to approximately $38 million domestically and fell short of expectations, raising questions about the studio's ability to build a successful cinematic universe around its new slate.

The studio also faced criticism over its television projects, particularly Lanterns. The Green Lantern series drew backlash from some DC fans who accused it of pushing a so-called "woke" agenda, with criticism focusing on its portrayal of John Stewart and the show's creative direction. The controversy added to broader disagreements over Gunn's vision for the franchise and whether the new leadership was giving longtime DC fans the stories and characters they wanted.

Gunn's overall record is more mixed than uniformly unsuccessful. Superman was a commercial success, but Supergirl earned only about $126 million worldwide against a reported $170 million production budget. Clayface also had a more modest theatrical run, bringing in approximately $109 million worldwide, although its reported $40 million budget was substantially lower. The results have intensified scrutiny of DC's direction, particularly as the studio attempts to compete with Marvel and rebuild audience confidence in its superhero properties.

Gunn and Safran are expected to remain involved with DC projects in creative and producing roles after leaving their executive positions. Gunn is also expected to continue work on Man of Tomorrow, the planned Superman sequel. Their departure therefore does not necessarily mean an end to their involvement with the franchise, but it does place DC's future under new leadership.

Latcham brings considerable experience from Marvel Studios, where he worked on major productions including Iron Man, The Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy. He will oversee DC's film, television and animation operations as the company enters another restructuring under Skydance ownership.

The change gives DC Studios a new executive direction after four years under Gunn and Safran, whose tenure produced a major Superman success but also faced disappointing releases, fan criticism, and questions about the long-term direction of the franchise.