The James Gunn DC ouster came after tensions with Skydance’s film chiefs and a visit from David Ellison to the DC offices on Friday, 6 November 2026.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ellison and Skydance co-CEO Ynon Kreiz went to the offices of Gunn and Peter Safran on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank and told the DC Studios co-heads they would not be part of the new studio, despite earlier assurances. The exit became public on Monday, 9 November 2026, when Skydance announced it.
Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham takes over as president and chief creative officer of DC Studios on Tuesday, 1 December 2026. He will report to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, whereas Gunn and Safran reported directly to Warner Bros. chief executive David Zaslav before Skydance’s takeover of Warner Bros. Gunn addressed the exit in a statement on Monday, 9 November 2026.
What led to the James Gunn DC ouster?
The report points to the reporting structure first. Gunn and Safran’s contracts said their direct line to the top would carry over to any new owner, which at Skydance meant answering to Ellison. Sources say Greenstein and Goldberg, who are bringing film production under their own leadership, would not accept that.
Another source says Ellison never wanted DC reporting to him in the first place and had no time for studio politics. Sources also say Gunn and Safran were slow to share plans, slate details and footage with the Skydance film heads, having been used to strong control over how DC products were rolled out.
How did the DC slate perform?
Superman earned $618 million worldwide and was profitable, the report says, but Skydance felt it fell short of the cultural impact it expected. The new regime views Supergirl, which opened in cinemas on Friday, 26 June 2026, as a disaster. Clayface, which opened on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, has passed $100 million worldwide on a budget put at $44 million.
What does the James Gunn DC ouster mean for what comes next?
Ellison has welcomed Latcham publicly and, with Kreiz, thanked the outgoing co-heads in a joint statement that credited them with beginning a new era for DC Studios. In a social media post about the incoming executive, the Skydance chief wrote:
We’re thrilled to welcome Jeremy to DC Studios! As part of the founding team behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he helped define the modern superhero movie and powered some of the biggest, most beloved comic book adaptations of our time.
David Ellison, Skydance chairman and CEO
Gunn had wrapped Man of Tomorrow, due in July 2027, and was writing a third Superman film when the visit came. In an October interview, he described keeping Ellison informed of the long-term vision for DC:
David knows everything… he’s been great with us.
James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios
Latcham, who is reported to have championed Gunn’s hiring on Guardians of the Galaxy at Marvel, had not spoken to Gunn about the DC transition when the news went public, but the pair planned to speak by phone on Monday afternoon, the sources say.
Sources
- The Hollywood Reporter, Inside James Gunn, Peter Safran's DC Ouster: Exec Tensions and a Fateful David Ellison Visit (10 November 2026)
- Yahoo Entertainment, Inside James Gunn, Peter Safran's DC Ouster (syndicated THR report, 10 November 2026)
- The Hollywood Reporter, DC Studios Shocker: James Gunn, Peter Safran Stepping Down with Marvel Alum Jeremy Latcham to Take Over
- Variety, David Ellison on DC Shakeup: Jeremy Latcham Will 'Build the Future of DC,' Praises James Gunn and Peter Safran's 'Passion'
- Cosmic Book News, Ellison And Kreiz Fired James Gunn In Person On The Warner Bros. Lot (Report)
- Mediagazer, Sources detail James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC ouster (10 November 2026)
- FandomWire, James Gunn's DCU Exit: Skydance Reportedly Lost Faith After Superman
- Showbiz411, Chaos at Warner Bros DC Studios (9 November 2026)
- Swisher Post, James Gunn statement after DC Studios exit: What he said (9 November 2026)
- Swisher Post, Paramount Warner Bros merger approved by regulators (13 June 2026)
- Swisher Post, 'Supergirl' first reactions call Milly Alcock the perfect Kara
