DC Studios/Skydance Answering Lines Big Factor in Gunn-Safran Move
· BCPosted in: HBO, Max, Movies, TV | Tagged: dc studios
DC Studios/Skydance Answering Lines Big Factor in Gunn-Safran Move
A recent report spotlights how DC Studios' James Gunn and Peter Safran's answering lines became an issue and when they learned the news.
Published Tue, 10 Nov 2026 09:37:09 -0600
by Ray Flook
|
Comments
Article Summary
- DC Studios’ leadership shake-up centers on James Gunn and Peter Safran exiting, with Jeremy Latcham taking over.
- A key issue in the DC Studios change was reporting lines, shifting from direct CEO access to Skydance film chiefs.
- Skydance’s announcement says Latcham will oversee DC film, TV and animation, reporting to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein.
- Sources say Gunn and Safran learned on November 6 that DC Studios was heading in a different direction amid tensions.
Needless to say, the topic of James Gunn and Peter Safran stepping down from their leadership roles at DC Studios after four years, and Jeremy Latcham taking over the reins, is one that's going to be with us for a while. Especially since Gunn and Safran have more of their DCU coming in 2027, with Man of Tomorrow, Creature Commandos, and The People v. Gorilla Grodd. On Monday night, we worked up a piece that the shifted answering lines may have been a major factor in the change. With Gunn and Safran, their deal was that they answered directly to the CEO. With Warner Bros. Discovery, that was David Zaslav; with Skydance, that's co-CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz. But in the press statement about Latcham's appointment, it was noted: "Latcham will lead DC's film, television and animation slate, overseeing the creative pipeline, along with production, talent and strategy. He will report to Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, Co-Chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group."
We thought that had the makings of being a major dealbreaker, and based on what The Hollywood Reporter went live with overnight, it sounds like it was a major factor – for both sides. According to sources, the answering lines were an issue even after Skydance rolled out an executive lineup that included Gunn and Safran, and that the duo was notified on November 6th that Skydance would be moving in a different direction. In that same report, it was noted that there were "several points of tension" between Gunn and Safran, and Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, Co-Chairs of Skydance Motion Picture Group. The biggest bone of contention: Gunn and Safran would have direct access to Ellison and Kreiz, undercutting their efforts "to consolidate all production of motion pictures under their leadership." As one source noted, Gunn and Safran "'had the final word on movies, TV shows, and animation,'" so having another answering line wasn't seen as a show of confidence. And then there's the matter of Ellison, who one source claims never wanted DC Studios – or any studio – answering directly to him, preferring to stay above any "studio politics."
Stay up-to-date and support the site by following Bleeding Cool on Google News today!