James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-heads of DC Studios, effective December 1, with former Marvel executive Jeremy Latcham taking over as president and chief creative officer — a change that lands on DC’s three active TV shows in three completely different ways.
What Happened
Gunn and Safran are leaving the executive roles they’ve held since 2022, about four years in. Jeremy Latcham, previously Kevin Feige’s longtime right hand during the MCU’s early buildout at Marvel Studios, becomes DC Studios’ new president and chief creative officer starting December 1, 2026, according to Dark Horizons and Consequence.
Gunn addressed the move directly, calling the executive job “trying, to say the least” and adding he disliked “the at-times corporate nature of the job.” On the move itself, he struck a relieved tone: “I’m also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking.”
Why Now
Neither Gunn nor Safran has given a specific reason beyond the toll of the corporate side of the job. Consequence reports the commercial and creative underperformance of this summer’s Supergirl may have factored into Skydance’s thinking — Skydance took over Warner Bros. Studios and DC earlier this year, and Latcham’s appointment is the clearest sign yet of a new regime asserting its own leadership rather than keeping Gunn and Safran’s team in place.
Both are staying attached to DC creatively. Gunn and Safran keep producing credits on Man of Tomorrow and The Batman: Part II, and Gunn says he’s already writing another DC movie built around characters the two of them set up to outlast their tenure.
Three TV Shows, Three Different Outcomes
DC Studios runs the company’s TV slate as well as its movies, and the leadership change lands differently on each of the three shows already airing or renewed under Gunn and Safran, according to TVInsider’s show-by-show breakdown.
| Show | Status going into the exit |
|---|---|
| Creature Commandos | Already renewed for Season 2 in December 2024 and in production for a 2027 premiere — the one show genuinely insulated from this change. |
| Lanterns | No Season 2 greenlight yet. Safran told press in October that HBO had not approved a second season, even though a writers’ room had reportedly started work — its fate now sits with Latcham. |
| Peacemaker | No Season 3 plans stated after Season 2 wrapped in 2025. Without Gunn, who created, wrote and largely directed the show himself, a continuation looks considerably less likely. |
Lanterns is the show with the most to lose from the timing. Its premiere drew 9.3 million viewers in its first three days after an August 2026 debut, HBO Max’s biggest DC Studios launch to date, and it’s the series this site has covered most closely — a renewal status this site has already tracked once and an ongoing episode-by-episode review run — but its second-season decision now belongs entirely to an incoming studio president with no public track record on the property. A green light under Latcham would be the first real signal of how the new regime treats DC’s biggest recent TV hit.
What to Watch Next
Latcham’s first public moves on the TV slate — renewing, cancelling, or simply staying quiet on Lanterns and Peacemaker — will say more about the new DC Studios than any press statement. Creature Commandos Season 2 is locked in for 2027 regardless of who’s in charge; the other two are the real test. Check our Lanterns guide for every confirmed episode and the comics behind the show while its future gets decided.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are James Gunn and Peter Safran leaving DC Studios?
Both are stepping down as co-heads effective December 1, 2026. Gunn says the executive role was “trying” and disliked its corporate demands; Consequence reports Supergirl’s underwhelming summer performance may have also factored into Skydance’s decision.
Who is replacing James Gunn at DC Studios?
Jeremy Latcham, a former Marvel Studios executive who worked closely with Kevin Feige during the MCU’s early years, becomes DC Studios’ president and chief creative officer.
Will Lanterns get a Season 2?
Not yet confirmed. Peter Safran said in October that HBO had not approved a second season despite a writers’ room reportedly starting work, and the decision now rests with incoming president Jeremy Latcham.
Is Peacemaker Season 3 happening?
No Season 3 has been announced. Gunn, who created and largely wrote and directed Peacemaker himself, had not stated any Season 3 plans even before this exit.
Is Creature Commandos Season 2 affected by this change?
No. Season 2 was renewed back in December 2024 and is already in production for a 2027 release, making it the one DC TV show insulated from the leadership change.
