James Gunn and Peter Safran Exit DC Studios, Leaving Superman and Batman in Limbo

: James Gunn and Peter Safran are out as CEOs and chairmen of DC Studios after four years running the comic-book empire. The duo will still close out their remaining creative commitments, the biggest being the Superman sequel “Man of Tomorrow,” which wrapped in late August. Gunn wrote and directed it, bringing back David Corenswet, Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan and Skyler Gisondo, with Lars Eidinger joining as Brainiac and Adria Arjona as Maxima.

Stepping into the void is Jeremy Latcham, a Marvel veteran who produced “Iron Man,” “The Avengers” and “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” Variety reports he isn’t boxed in by much continuity yet, which means he can point DC wherever he wants. Whether franchise faces like Corenswet stay put or Latcham clears the deck is the open question hanging over the whole slate.

The box office report card is mixed. 2025’s “Superman” pulled $618 million worldwide, a solid showing for the reboot’s face. “Supergirl,” with Milly Alcock, cratered at $126 million against a $170 million budget, while October’s “Clayface,” starring Tom Rhys Harries, earned $109 million off a $44 million budget. On HBO, “Peacemaker” and “Lanterns” stitched the films together.

Batman’s future is the murkiest. Robert Pattinson’s “The Batman” grossed $772.8 million globally, and “The Batman: Part II” is dated for Feb. 18, 2028 — after Matt Reeves stepped away from production over a family matter and Steven Soderbergh stepped in to help finish the shoot. Pattinson’s Caped Crusader lives outside the Gunn-Safran universe, and Gunn had planned a separate “Brave and the Bold” Batman to share Corenswet’s world.

Wonder Woman has been MIA since 2020’s “Wonder Woman 1984,” though Gal Gadot’s first outing made $823 million. Gunn’s HBO prequel series “Paradise Lost” was scrapped this summer, and rumors persist that Arjona might secretly debut as the Amazon in “Man of Tomorrow” rather than as Maxima. “Swamp Thing,” from James Mangold, and a long-rumored Wonder Woman film remain in development.

Elsewhere: the Green Lanterns got a boost with Nathan Fillion, Aaron Pierre and Kyle Chandler in “Lanterns,” but a Season 2 renewal hasn’t been announced. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn hasn’t been seen since 2021’s “The Suicide Squad,” and “Blue Beetle,” starring Xolo Maridueña, underperformed at $130 million after releasing during the actors strike.