Earlier today, the news broke that James Gunn and Peter Safran will no longer serve as co-CEOs of DC Studios, with former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham enlisted to take over.
Though this development wasn't entirely surprising, the timing of the announcement was, since it was just over a month ago that the trades reported that Gunn and Safran would remain on as co-chairs under the newly formed Skydance banner.
Apparently, Skydance boss David Ellison visited the set of Man of Tomorrow when it was filming earlier this year, and listened as the pair outlined their 10-year plan for the DCU. Evidently impressed, Ellison was said to have supported their strategy.
It was assumed that any potential shakeup would only happen after MOT was released, but either Ellison and his execs had a rethink, or Gunn and Safran made the decision to step away (Gunn's statement would seem to indicate that it was the latter, but who knows what really went down behind the scenes).
Gunn and Safran are expected to stay "in the fold creatively" for the time being, but it remains to be seen how many of the characters and storylines they established with the likes of Superman, Lanterns, and upcoming projects such as The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd will continue to inform this universe once Latcham begins making creative decisions.
Is another reboot on the cards?
As you might imagine, the news has been met with a mixture of heartbreak, elation, and indifference. Though a lot of people had grown tired of the direction Gunn was taking the DCU, others enjoyed his eclectic approach to these big and small screen projects, and looked forward to seeing how the universe ultimately came together once the likes of Wonder Woman and Batman were introduced.
Of course, this brings us to one of the biggest sticking points for many fans: the decision to leave the big guns on the shelf for so long while greenlighting the likes of Creature Commandos and Clayface.
Have a read through some of the social media responses below, and be sure to share your thoughts on the news in the comments.