After four years at DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran will no longer lead the company through its next chapter under Skydance ownership as they hand over the reins to new president and chief creative officer Jeremy Latcham.
In a statement, the two executives spoke with pride about their work at the studio and said goodbye to Latcham, who worked with Gunn on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy at Marvel Studios. Skydance says the two will “return full-time to their creative work,” which includes post-production on the “Superman” series “Man of Tomorrow” and work on other DC projects.
“Four years ago, we decided to unite DC under one creative vision. During 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 ‘Sword.“We are extremely proud of the team that turned that goal into a reality, including the actors, crew and executives we had the opportunity to collaborate with,” Gunn and Safran said.
“We’ve shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we’re eager to see the vision he brings to DC’s next chapter. We’re excited to return to what drew us to this work 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,'” the duo said.
Latcham was part of the founding Marvel Studios under Kevin Feige and worked on global blockbusters such as “Iron Man,” “The Avengers,” and Tom Holland’s “Spider-Man” movies. Latcham will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, along with production, talent and strategy.
Latcham, who starts at DC on December 1, will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairmen of Skydance Motion Picture Group.
“Jeremy deeply respects DC and its passionate fans, recognizing that they are the foundation of this incredible, multi-generational brand,” said Goldberg and Greenstein. “Under his leadership, every film and television show will be introduced from start to finish through the prism of his legions of fans who love and support him.
“DC’s pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture. I’ve been honored to bring some of the most iconic superhero stories to life on the big screen, and I’m excited and honored by the opportunity to lead DC Studios into its next era. Latcham.”
Gunn and Safran have released three theatrical films since taking over DC Studios, starting with “Superman,” which earned $618 million worldwide amid strong reviews. But the studio’s follow-up, “Supergirl,” flopped last summer, earning just $126.4 million worldwide. The villain horror film “Batman” with a smaller budget “Clayface” has fared better, bringing in $109 million in its first three weekends in theaters.
On the TV side, Gunn and Safran developed hit shows like the John Cena-led “Suicide Squad” spinoff “Peacemaker” and the animated show “Creature Commandos,” as well as the hit show “Lanterns.”
“James and Patrick ushered in a new era for DC Studios and led it through a period of true transformation, resetting the foundation and building a slate we’re extremely proud of.”
“Jeremy has been a long-term creative partner for both, and we have every confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care.
