Aaron WeltyIn a Hollywood shockwave, Skydance Media CEOs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz fired James Gunn and Peter Safran as the co-presidents of DC Studios. Tapped in 2022 to shepherd a post-Snyderverse era of DC Comics films and television, the “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Suicide Squad” writer and director wrote, produced, and directed 2025’s “Superman” reboot and served as an executive producer on various DC Studios projects, including “Lanterns” on HBO and the poorly received “Supergirl.” Safran previously produced various DC Comics screen adaptations since 2018’s “Aquaman” with Jason Momoa. Both were relieved of studio leadership after Skydance Media acquired Warner Bros.
Gunn’s work on the Guardians films was generally well received. Nevertheless, his superhero work can be flippant, particularly in films like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” “The Suicide Squad,” and HBO Max’s “Peacemaker.” These stories often use humor and over-the-top levels of violence to undercut earnest character moments. As Gunn himself said in a 2022 interview, “I love superheroes, I also think they’re the dumbest thing that ever existed.”
C.S. Lewis famously wrote about flippancy as the most dangerous form of humor in “The Screwtape Letters.”
“Among flippant people, the joke is always assumed to have been made…every serious subject is discussed in a manner which implies that they have already found a ridiculous side to it….” C.S. Lewis wrote this comment, made by senior demon Screwtape, and it encapsulates how James Gunn views superheroes: as being absolutely ridiculous.
Stephen Burnett, of Lorehaven, refers to Gunn’s output at DC Studios as “deathworks.” Coined by sociologist Philip Rieff, the term refers to using sacred symbols to prevent and destroy their intended significance and purpose. DC Comics characters aren’t sacred in the same way as religious iconography is, but they embody sacred ideas: truth, justice, beauty, and hope (most famously by Superman). Aside from Gunn’s “Superman” film, DC Studios under Gunn’s leadership points elsewhere.
With Gunn and Safran out, who might replace him? This looks like a job for veteran Marvel Studios producer Jeremy Latcham. As a former Vice President for Production, Latcham worked on “Iron Man,” Marvel’s “Avengers,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” and “Spider-Man Homecoming.” Since then, Latcham has worked as a senior advisor for The Wonder Project, influencing series like “The House of David.”
He’s been on record talking about his Christian faith and moving away from Los Angeles to ensure his daughter can have a faith-filled upbringing. Additionally, he’s shared how his grandmother helped establish a guiding principle of movie making at Marvel Studios early on: would Jeremy’s grandma like this film? As such, it was important for those films to have a “meaningful sense of redemptive hopefulness” to them. The outlook Latcham is likely to bring to DC Studios as the new president and chief creative officer is rooted in both faith and an earnest view of superhero storytelling. Like the Old Testament’s Daniel, Latcham found great favor while remaining grounded by faith in an environment often disdaining such values.
And the Hollywood geek press’s response? Scrambling to figure out why this happened. Aside from A.V. Club’s article about how powerful Gunn is because his online following might be a headache for Skydance leadership, most seem to be keeping their powder dry, for now. As Morgan Freeman famously said, “the only color Hollywood sees is green,” and under Gunn’s leadership, they’ve spent too much and didn’t make enough (even with “Superman” making $618 million on a $225 million budget).
In the finale episode of “The Pendragon Cycle: The Rise of Merlin,” originally produced for The Daily Wire before landing on Amazon Prime Video, Merlin Emrys envisions a time and a place where “…a man’s word is his pledge and falsehood is banished…where men revere virtue, revere truth, revere beauty above comfort, pleasure, selfish gain…”
Jeremy Latcham has the disposition and experience to fulfill a cultural vision like Merlin’s. A “gunn” was fired at DC Studios because James’s disposition and track record show he has a darker, unprofitable point of view. Perhaps it’s morning in Hollywood at DC Studios; we can only hope. That’s what Superman would do.
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Aaron Welty is a D.C. based writer, speaker, and co-host of the “Two Geek Soup” podcast. Find him on Instagram @aaronwelty; X @arwelty and aaronrwelty.com.
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