In what might just be the biggest news story of the year, Skydance has decided to make a major change to DC Studios, and James Gunn and Peter Safran are no longer the studio's co-CEOs. Taking their place is former Marvel Studios executive Jeremy Latcham, a key player in the MCU's formative years and someone David Ellison clearly believes can right the ship with the DCU.
Gunn and Safran will step away from their leadership roles on December 1, four years after first being tasked with rebooting the DCEU by then-Warner Bros. Discovery Chairman David Zaslav.
Interestingly, The Hollywood Reporter says that they will "still be in the fold creatively," though that only seems to apply to upcoming projects they've already developed such as Man of Tomorrow, The People vs. Gorilla Grodd, and The Batman Part II. There are already rumblings that Safran is Netflix-bound.
In a joint statement, Skydance Chairman and CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz said, "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."
Addressing Latcham's new role, they added, "Jeremy has been a longtime creative partner to both, and we have complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care. We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans."
As noted, Latcham was a major player in the formation of Marvel Studios, joining the company in 2004. He was Kevin Feige's right-hand man and went on to oversee the likes of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Spider-Man: Homecoming.
He will now lead DC's film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, along with production, talent and strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group, a change from Gunn and Safran, who reported only to Zaslav before the merger.
Latcham said, "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."
It's unclear whether Gunn and Safran chose to go, or whether they were pushed out, but the latter seems likely, given that the former just launched a podcast to make his 2021 movie, The Suicide Squad, canon to the DCU (hardly the actions of someone who expected to no longer have their job weeks later). Both executives also threw their support behind Ellison and the merger.
"Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision. In 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 Clayface," Gunn and Safran said today.
They continued, "We’re immensely proud of the team that turned that ambition into something real, including the actors, crews and executives we had the opportunity to collaborate with."
"We’ve shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we’re eager to see the perspective he brings to DC’s next chapter. We’re excited to return to what drew us to this job 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."
Where did it all go wrong for Gunn and Safran? We'll be taking a closer look at that soon, but this is a huge shocker and one that's going to have major implications for the DCU.
During their stint in charge, the duo delivered Creature Commandos, Superman, Peacemaker Season 2, Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface. It's unclear what this news for other upcoming projects like Mister Miracle or Gunn's 10-year plan for the DCU.