James Gunn and Peter Safran exit DC Studios; Jeremy Latcham named president and chief creative officer, Digi Mart USA News: After four years at DC Studios, James Gunn and Peter Safran will not lead the company through its next chapter under Skydance ownership. They are handing 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 gave their blessing to Latcham, who worked with Gunn on the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy at Marvel Studios. Skydance says the duo will “return full time to their creative work,” which includes post-production on the “Superman” sequel “Man of Tomorrow” and work on other DC projects.
“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.
“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.”
The duo also said they were eager to see the perspective Latcham brings to DC’s next chapter. “We’ve shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we’re eager to see the perspective he brings,” they said.
They added that they were excited to return to the work that drew them to the job, including the next chapter of Clark and Lex’s journey in “Man of Tomorrow.”
Latcham was part of the founding core of Marvel Studios under Kevin Feige and worked on global blockbusters such as “Iron Man,” “The Avengers” and Tom Holland’s “Spider-Man” films. He will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline along with production, talent and strategy.
Latcham begins at DC on Dec. 1 and will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, Co-Chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. Goldberg and Greenstein said Latcham “brings a deep reverence for DC and its passionate fanbase,” adding that “every film and television show will be ushered from start to finish through the prism of the legions of fans who love and champion it.”
In his own statement, 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.”
Gunn and Safran released three theatrical films during their time at DC Studios, starting with “Superman,” which grossed $618 million at the global box office amid strong reviews. The studio’s follow-up, “Supergirl,” fell flat this past summer with $126.4 million.
The more modestly budgeted Batman-villain horror film “Clayface” has been a decent success, with $109 million grossed so far through three weekends in theaters.
On television, Gunn and Safran developed hit shows including the John Cena “Suicide Squad” spinoff “Peacemaker,” the animated series “Creature Commandos” and the recent hit “Lanterns.”
David Ellison, Chairman and CEO, and Ynon Kreiz, Co-CEO, of Skydance said 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.” They added that they have “complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition” and look forward to working with Latcham to build the next generation of DC storytelling.
