What James Gunn And Peter Safran's DC Studios Exit Could Mean For The DC Universe

In October 2022, it was announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran would spearhead the next chapter of DC Studios, scrapping a franchise that began with Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" to focus on a new version of the universe. Just over four years later, both Gunn and Safran are out. 

The news comes as a shock. Skydance's merger with Warner Bros. was completed about a month ago, and at first, it sounded as though Gunn and Safran's jobs were safe for the time being. It made the most sense to see how 2027's highly anticipated "Man of Tomorrow" fared at the box office before determining whether the two would still be involved with DC's future.

The new president and chief creative officer of DC Studios will be Jeremy Latcham, who previously worked for Marvel Studios. Latcham's involvement could provide some guidance as to how Skydance wants to pursue the future of DC. Skydance may want a stricter interconnected universe rather than playing it fast and loose, which seems to have been Gunn's M.O. over the past couple of years. While "Supergirl" and "Superman" have a clear connection, Gunn also greenlit "Clayface," an R-rated body horror film in its own space of the DC universe — connected, yet remote.

It would make the most sense for Skydance to pursue a clearer path to a team-up film with an emphasis on more mainstream characters getting films, like Batman and Wonder Woman. For now, DC Studios will put out another TV show, "The People v. Gorilla Grodd," and Gunn and Safran will produce "The Batman Part II." After that, it's anyone's guess what the new DCU will look like. 

It's too early to guess how the DCU will change going forward. DC in film has been in a precarious position for a while. "Man of Steel" received a mixed reaction, and from there, it was a series of hits and misses (but mostly misses). Following the news that the DC Extended Universe would end in late 2022, DC had some of the biggest box office bombs of 2023, no doubt with many audiences tuning out due to the knowledge these storylines weren't continuing. 

The new DC Universe only has three movies and three TV series to its name. Honestly, there's a possibility the new DCU doesn't pivot too far from what Gunn and Safran established. Rather than getting yet another Superman actor, DC Studios may keep David Corenswet. The next main continuity Batman hasn't been cast, so there's fresh territory waiting. Robert Pattinson's "The Batman" movies exist within their own continuity, so after "The Batman Part II," that franchise could end to once again streamline things.

One prediction we feel confident in making is that we'll get fewer quirky DC projects. Say what you will about Gunn, but he deserves credit for taking big swings, from the horror-centric "Clayface" to the unapologetically weird "Creature Commandos." The new DCU will probably stick with what audiences want, so enjoy "The People v. Gorilla Grodd" when it comes out. It may be the last time we'll get something strange for a while. 

James Gunn might be the most chronically online director working today, so it should come as no surprise to hear that he posted his take on the news almost immediately after it broke. Gunn left a lengthy note on Instagram to talk about how he's enjoyed his time leading DC Studios and how much he's loved seeing projects like "Superman," "Clayface," and "Lanterns" come to fruition. Curiously, he leaves "Supergirl" off the note, but given how "Supergirl" bombed at the box office, maybe that's no surprise. 

Interestingly, Gunn notes how losing this job maybe isn't the worst thing in the world: "I will miss the people around me, and I will miss being the co-caretaker of these great characters, but I'm also incredibly relieved and excited to get back to pure filmmaking."

In addition to being the co-head of DC Studios, Gunn also created "Creature Commandos," directed several episodes of "Peacemaker" Season 2, and filmed both "Superman" and "Man of Tomorrow." That's a lot, and it's probably safe to say that Gunn has always been more interested in the creative side of DC rather than being a business guy. 

Gunn closed his Instagram statement by saying how he and Safran are "engaged on another DC project which I'm writing." Gunn has mentioned already working on a "Superman 3" script, but it remains to be seen if that happens or if Gunn's writing something else. With that in mind, Gunn and Safran could stick around DC in creative roles while Latcham handles the business side. That could be promising for fans who want to see this version of the DCU continue. But this developing story is far from over, so stay tuned.