Cover James Gunn, who steps down as co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios on December 1, has helped shape a new chapter for the studio with ‘Superman’, ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Clayface’ (Photo: River Callaway/Variety via Getty Images)
James Gunn, who steps down as co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios on December 1, has helped shape a new chapter for the studio with ‘Superman’, ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Clayface’ (Photo: River Callaway/Variety via Getty Images)
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As DC co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran step down from DC Studios, we look back at their projects, his Instagram farewell and Jeremy Latcham’s incoming era
James Gunn’s DC tenure was built around an unusual proposition: the person mapping a superhero universe would also keep writing and directing stories within it. For four years, Gunn balanced the role of filmmaker with that of studio chief alongside Peter Safran. That arrangement now has an end date. The pair will step down as co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios on December 1, following a leadership change after Skydance’s takeover of Warner Bros Discovery, with Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham set to take the reins.
The record they leave behind is still taking shape but already unusually varied: a hopeful Superman reboot, the prestige series Lanterns, a costly Supergirl film and the surprise horror hit Clayface. Here is what the James Gunn DC era produced, what he has said about his departure and what comes next for the DC Universe.
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What did James Gunn say in his Instagram farewell?
James Gunn’s message opens with “Oh, boy. What a four years”. He recalls drawing his own comics in Manchester, Missouri, mixing DC heroes with original characters, and calls having full access a dream come true. Yet he admits it was “trying, to say the least”, citing its corporate side and how his ADHD hyperfocus struggled to divide his time. He is “incredibly relieved and excited” to return to filmmaking, but says he and Safran are not done with DC: Man of Tomorrow opens in July 2027, and he is writing another DC project.
Why is James Gunn leaving DC Studios and who is replacing him?
James Gunn and Peter Safran, who have led DC Studios since 2022, step down on December 1. Early messaging framed the exit as mutual, a return to full-time creative work, but Variety and The Wall Street Journal reported that Skydance chief David Ellison initiated it, following Paramount Skydance’s US$110.9 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery.
Marvel Studios veteran Jeremy Latcham, an executive producer on Iron Man and The Avengers, becomes president and chief creative officer. He will report to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, not to the chief executive.
How did ‘Peacemaker’ set the tone for James Gunn’s DC universe?
Above John Cena stars as the antihero in the HBO Max series ‘Peacemaker’
Peacemaker season one arrived on HBO Max in 2022, and season two followed in 2025. Created and directed by James Gunn, the R-rated series stars John Cena as the self-righteous antihero and showed how irreverent comedy could thrive within DC’s world. It was a critical success with strong viewership on HBO Max, and it validated the subversive, tonally daring storytelling Gunn favoured. Peacemaker is among the projects he singled out as a personal high in his farewell.
What is ‘Creature Commandos’, the animated prologue to the DC universe?
Above The monstrous misfits of the animated series ‘Creature Commandos’
Debuting on HBO Max in late 2024, adult animated series Creature Commandos served as the narrative prologue to the new DC universe. Written by James Gunn, it follows a team of monstrous misfits and showed that animation could feed directly into the live-action slate. Arriving ahead of Superman in cinemas, it gave audiences a first taste of the tone Gunn intended for the wider franchise. It enjoyed high engagement across digital platforms, and a second season is dated for 2027.
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How did ‘Superman’ perform at the box office?
Above David Corenswet stars as the Man of Steel in the 2025 film ‘Superman’
Released in July 2025, James Gunn’s Superman grossed US$618.7 million worldwide and introduced David Corenswet as the Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Its earnest, hopeful take on the character stood in contrast to grimmer past iterations of the franchise, generating considerable goodwill. Gunn named it among the highlights of his tenure, and it remains the commercial high point of the Gunn and Safran era.
Is ‘Lanterns’ a hit, and will there be a second season?
Above Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre star as Green Lanterns in ‘Lanterns’
Premiering on HBO in August 2026, the eight-episode detective thriller Lanterns follows veteran Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) and recruit John Stewart (Aaron Pierre). Developed by Chris Mundy, Damon Lindelof and Tom King, it became the third-biggest new series on HBO Max, behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us, and drew praise for its grounded, adult procedural approach. HBO has not yet issued a season two production order, though Stewart also appears in Man of Tomorrow.
What went wrong with ‘Supergirl’ at the box office?
Above Milly Alcock stars as Kara Zor-El in the 2026 film ‘Supergirl’
Adapted from Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the June 2026 release follows Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) under director Craig Gillespie. Reportedly trimmed by about 25 minutes in emergency re-edits, it still opened to US$37.1 million domestically, dropped 74 per cent in its second weekend and stalled at US$126.5 million worldwide, against a reported budget of US$170 million to US$186 million. Estimates put its loss above US$100 million, and the result reportedly dented Skydance’s confidence in James Gunn’s broader plans.
Was ‘Clayface’ a box office success?
Above The R-rated body-horror film ‘Clayface’ directed by James Watkins
Directed by James Watkins from a story by Mike Flanagan, the R-rated body-horror film Clayface opened in October 2026. Made on a modest budget of roughly US$40 million to US$44 million, it has earned about US$109.1 million worldwide, recouping its costs and showing that mid-budget horror could work within DC’s slate. James Gunn counts it among his highs, though analysts note it also underlined how much attention went to niche characters while Batman and Wonder Woman lacked active production dates in the shared universe.
What are ‘Man of Tomorrow’ and ‘The People v Gorilla Grodd’?
James Gunn’s last film as studio head, Man of Tomorrow, opens on July 9, 2027, with Clark Kent (David Corenswet) allying with an imprisoned Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) against Brainiac (Lars Eidinger). Aaron Pierre, Milly Alcock, Edi Gathegi, Nathan Fillion and Isabela Merced also feature, and The Wall Street Journal reports that Wonder Woman is introduced.
The final filmed Gunn-era series, The People v Gorilla Grodd, is an eight-episode true-crime mockumentary from American Vandal’s creators, starring Skyler Gisondo and Jimmy Tatro, due on HBO Max in late 2027.
What’s next for DC under Jeremy Latcham?
New DC head Jeremy Latcham spent over a decade under Kevin Feige at Marvel Studios, and more recently worked on Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves while developing a live-action Naruto. Insider reporting suggests R-rated entries will be phased out in favour of broadly accessible PG-13 releases, while Gunn’s planned Justice League films for 2029 and 2031 are reportedly being set aside.
The biggest question is Batman: Matt Reeves’ The Batman: Part II, starring Robert Pattinson, is slated for February 2028, while the DC universe’s own Batman film, The Brave and the Bold, has yet to cast its lead.
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After more than a decade in lifestyle media, Clifford has mastered the art of writing seriously about things that are fun—and writing fun things about people who take themselves very seriously. At Tatler Asia, he helped steer its flagship lists, Tatler’s Most Influential and Asia’s Most Stylish. And today, he leads T-Labs, Tatler Asia’s content innovation hub, where he continues the noble pursuit of lifestyle storytelling, spinning stories on wealth, entertainment, necessary style, Hallyu, Hollywood, beauty and more for audiences across Asia.
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