In a massive shake-up that’ll rock the industry, both James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC studios.
DC’s new owner Skydance has appointed former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham, former right hand man of Kevin Feige in the early phases of the MCU, to the post of President and CCO of DC Studios.
The step down takes place on December 1st, around four years after the pair took the jobs. In that time they’ve released three films including “Superman,” “Supergirl” and “Clayface” along with several seasons of TV.
In the wake of the news, Gunn has released a statement about their exit, saying his executive job was “trying, to say the least” and “I dislike the at-times corporate nature of the job (thanks to Peter for taking the brunt of that.).”
The pair will stay involved in the films and shows currently in production or post-production including “Man of Tomorrow,” “The People v. Gorilla Grodd” and producing credits on “The Batman: Part II”.
Both now intend to return full time to their creative work and Gunn confirms he is writing one more secret DC movie with characters they set up to live beyond them.
Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz said jointly in a statement:
“James and Peter launched a new era for DC Studios and led it through a period of real transformation, resetting the foundation and building a slate we’re incredibly proud of. We’re grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand.”
Latcham will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. He says in a statement:
“DC’s pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture. I’ve had the privilege to help bring some of the most celebrated superhero stories to life on the big screen, and I’m excited and honored for the opportunity to now lead DC Studios into its next era. The chance to steward the incredible cast of DC characters to the screen in a way that excites lifelong fans while introducing their timeless stories to the next generation is a massive responsibility that I do not take lightly.”
The exit means the decade long plans that the duo put in place for DC are now in question. Gunn has released an official statement about his exit in full which you can read below.
