Did ‘Woke’ Content Cost James Gunn and Peter Safran Their DC Studios Jobs? The Claim Behind the Shake-Up

Whenever a major studio changes leadership, theories fly almost immediately. The sudden DC Studios shake-up has been no exception, with fans and commentators trying to explain why James Gunn and Peter Safran were replaced just weeks after being told they could stay. Some of those explanations are grounded in business results, and some are pure speculation.

The facts so far are fairly simple. Skydance announced the change on Nov. 9 as part of its quarterly earnings call. Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham will take over as president and chief creative officer on Dec. 1, reporting to Skydance Motion Picture Group co-chairs Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein. Gunn and Safran previously reported to David Zaslav and then to David Ellison directly.

One theory now circulating on social media is that the pair’s exit reflects a push away from content its proponents describe as “woke.” Those making the claim point to diversity, equity and inclusion as strong themes in recent DCU releases. No official statement or credible news report supports that reading, and Skydance has not formally explained its reasons.

The excess of so-called “wokeness” could possibly be one reason why Jeremy Latchmam was chosen to replace James Gunn and Peter Safran (per @DanielRPK). Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have been strong marks in all recent DCU movies. https://t.co/6zThtDZrd0

— Global Box Office (@GlobalBoxOffice) November 9, 2026

Skydance’s public language is about continuity and transition. Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz praised Gunn and Safran for launching a new era and leading the studio through a period of real transformation. They also said they plan to build the next generation of DC storytelling and double down on their commitment to fans.

Gunn’s own explanation was personal rather than political. In his statement, he said the job had been trying, that he disliked the corporate side of it, and that it had cost him the downtime he used to have as a filmmaker. He also said his ADHD hyperfocus struggled with splitting time between passion projects and studio duties.

The timing is what made the news so jarring. On Oct. 5, Ellison announced that Gunn and Safran would stay on as co-heads of DC Studios. Slashfilm noted that the change came only weeks after both men indicated Ellison seemed in favor of keeping them.

The more concrete explanation circulating in industry coverage is box office performance. ‘Superman’ opened to $125 million domestically in 2025 and grossed more than $618 million worldwide. ‘Supergirl’ opened this June to just $38 million domestically and drew poor reviews, according to TheWrap.

Safran acknowledged afterward that the film missed expectations, while saying it was one part of a longer-term strategy. ‘Lanterns’ has been described as a hit for HBO, and ‘Clayface’ opened in October with a $24 million debut. Whether that mixed record was the deciding factor has not been confirmed.

Screen Rant has written that Skydance has not formally addressed why Gunn and Safran were replaced. Its analysis also suggests Latcham will likely prioritize DC’s biggest characters going forward. That is a prediction, not a report of Skydance’s intentions.

The A.V. Club argued that hiring a producer with mostly Marvel credits signals an about-face from the unique vision Gunn and Safran pursued. That is a creative and strategic read, not a political one. Slashfilm adds that it is unclear whether DC will undergo yet another top-to-bottom reboot under Skydance.

Politics did enter the conversation before the merger closed. Pajiba noted in June that Gunn’s DCU faced right-wing backlash last year after he described ‘Superman’ as an immigrant story, and commentators also pointed to the Ellison family’s political ties. Those were observations about the climate around the studio, not evidence about why leadership was changed.

For now, the verified picture is a corporate restructuring, a new reporting line, a mixed box-office record and a filmmaker who says he was worn down by the job. Latcham has said little about his plans beyond being honored to lead DC Studios into its next era. His first slate will say far more about the studio’s direction than any theory online.

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