James Gunn and Peter Safran have been removed as co-CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios after four years leading the comic book film division, throwing the future of Superman, Batman, and other major franchises into question. Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham, who produced superhero films including Iron Man, The Avengers, and Spider-Man: Homecoming, will take over leadership of the studio.
Gunn and Safran launched a rebooted DC Universe in 2025 with Superman, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, which earned $618 million worldwide. However, their subsequent films had mixed results. Supergirl bombed with $126 million against a $170 million budget, while Clayface became a low-budget success with $109 million from a $44 million budget. The duo will fulfill remaining creative commitments, most notably the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, which wrapped filming in late August and brings back Corenswet alongside new cast members including Lars Eidinger as Brainiac.
The leadership change leaves numerous planned projects uncertain. Gunn had been searching for an actor to play Batman in the rebooted universe, separate from Robert Pattinson's version in Matt Reeves' films. Reeves' Batman: Part II is scheduled for February 2028, but Reeves had to step away from production due to a family matter, with Steven Soderbergh stepping in to help finish the shoot. Wonder Woman has been absent from DC films since 2020's Wonder Woman 1984, though rumors suggest Adria Arjona may debut as the character in Man of Tomorrow.
Other projects in limbo include a potential second season of the Lanterns HBO series starring Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler, and a second season of Peacemaker starring John Cena, which has neither been renewed nor canceled. Various announced films including projects focused on Swamp Thing, Bane, and Deathstroke never received official greenlights and now appear unlikely to proceed under new leadership.