James Gunn Promises the DCU’s Characters Will Live On After His DC Studios Exit

Every shared universe eventually has to answer one question: what happens to the heroes when the people who built it move on? For the DC Universe, that question arrived sooner than anyone expected, and James Gunn has now offered his answer. He says the characters at the center of his DC Studios era will live on, even though he is stepping away from running the studio.

Gunn and Peter Safran spent 4 years assembling a roster that spans film, television and animation. By the pair’s own account, they helped restore Superman to the heart of DC while opening new doors with ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Creature Commandos’, ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Clayface’. The slate also includes ‘Supergirl’, the first DCU theatrical release not directed by Gunn.

That is the backdrop for Gunn’s latest message to fans. After Skydance announced that he and Safran were leaving their top posts, Gunn posted a statement confirming that the characters he and Safran set up will live on. He added that the two have just started another DC project that he is writing, and that they will see where it goes from there.

The most immediate proof is the release calendar. ‘Man of Tomorrow’, Gunn’s ‘Superman’ sequel, is in post-production and set for July 9, 2027, with Milly Alcock’s Supergirl confirmed to return. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are back as Superman and Lex Luthor, and the film is reported to feature the villain Brainiac.

On television, ‘The People v. Gorilla Grodd’ is an 8-episode comedy series ordered at HBO Max with Skyler Gisondo’s Jimmy Olsen in the lead. Gunn has said it takes place after ‘Man of Tomorrow’, and he and Safran are executive producers. ‘Lanterns’ has also been described as a big hit for HBO and HBO Max.

The first ‘Superman’ gave the whole project a foundation. It grossed more than $618 million worldwide and became Warner Bros.’ second-biggest release of its year. ‘Clayface’, the lower-budget horror entry, opened more modestly in October with a $24 million debut.

Gunn and Safran are also reported to remain producers on ‘The Batman Part II’. Variety lists the film for 2028 with Robert Pattinson. Earlier coverage had pointed to Oct. 1, 2027, before director Matt Reeves paused production over a family matter.

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Taking over is Jeremy Latcham, who will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate. He will oversee the creative pipeline, production, talent and strategy, with his start date reported as Dec. 1. Latcham was part of the founding core of Marvel Studios and worked on ‘Iron Man’, ‘The Avengers’ and the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films with Gunn.

Skydance chiefs David Ellison and Ynon Kreiz said they look forward to working with Latcham to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to double down on their commitment to fans. That language leaves room for a fresh direction. How much of the Gunn-era blueprint stays in place will become clearer as projects move through development.

The timing makes the change especially surprising. Early October reports said Ellison had asked Gunn and Safran to stay, and producers have said he visited the ‘Man of Tomorrow’ set in Atlanta. Some outlets now describe the move as an ouster, while Gunn and Safran frame it as stepping down to return to creative work.

Gunn’s promise covers the characters, not every project that was announced. His statement did not guarantee any particular film or series beyond the one he is writing now. For fans, that means the heroes are safe for the moment, but the map around them is not.

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