Will James Gunn still direct DC movies? Leadership shakeup raises questions
James Gunn launched the big-screen DC Universe with ‘Superman’ in 2025, and now fans are eager to know if he will continue directing for the studio. Gunn and his producing partner Peter Safran are stepping down from the post of co-CEOs of DC Studios as of December 1. Marvel vet Jeremy Latcham will assume the role of president and chief creative officer.
While Gunn is stepping away from his executive role, he has not ruled out directing more DC projects. For now, his next directorial outing is 'Man of Tomorrow.' Safran is producing the film, which is currently in post-production and scheduled to release in theaters on July 9, 2027. David Corenswet (Clark Kent/Superman) and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor) are set to reprise their roles. In a joint statement, Gunn and Safran said that they are excited to get back to "pure filmmaking."
Gunn summed up the end of his tenure at the studio in a statement posted on social media. The four years he spent working there were “trying, to say the least,” he said. He underlined ‘Superman,’ ‘Clayface,’ and ‘Peacemaker’ as the highlights, and said filming ‘Man of Tomorrow’ was the best filmmaking experience of his life, to date. He said that being an executive took away that brief reprieve he regularly enjoyed between films, moments where he would relax and spend some quality time with himself and his family. Gunn said that he wrote and illustrated his own comics as a child in Manchester, Missouri, using DC characters, and welcomed the opportunity to fully access them.
Interestingly, Gunn has said that he and Safran aren’t done with DC. The duo is currently developing another project for the franchise, a new film that Gunn is writing. Gunn didn’t reveal what it is or indicate he would direct the film, explaining that more details will be announced at a later date. In addition, both men are still credited as producers for ‘The Batman: Part II,’ the sequel to the Matt Reeves-directed and Robert Pattinson-led ‘The Batman,’ as well as ‘The People vs. Gorilla Grodd.’
Warner Bros. recruited Gunn and Safran in 2022 to rebuild the franchise after Zack Snyder’s era. Their run includes ‘Superman,’ ‘Supergirl,’ and ‘Clayface’ in theaters, in addition to the TV titles ‘Creature Commandos,’ 'Peacemaker' Season 2, ‘The Penguin,’ and ‘Lanterns.’ At the same time, Latcham has a long working relationship with Gunn. The producer began his career at Marvel Studios as an associate producer on the first ‘Iron Man’ back in 2008. Outside of Marvel, he also produced the 2018 film ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’ and the 2023 film ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.’ Notably, Latcham’s connection to Gunn began with the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ film from 2014, which was also Gunn’s first foray into Marvel.
