DC’s New Boss Era Goes Big: David Ellison Reportedly Wants the Justice League Back ASAP
The shakeup at DC Studios is already pointing the franchise in a new direction. Skydance CEO David Ellison reportedly wants the Justice League back in theaters as quickly as possible. The change comes days after James Gunn and Peter Safran were moved out of their roles running the studio. Jeremy Latcham, an executive who helped shape the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will serve as president and chief creative officer.
The timing surprised plenty of people in the industry. According to TheWrap, Skydance took control of DC Studios 33 days before the change, and Gunn and Safran were replaced about 16 months after launching DC’s new slate with ‘Superman’. Several insiders told the outlet the pair were blindsided, while one said Ellison had been quietly talking with Latcham for more than a month.
TheWrap‘s insiders say Latcham arrives with a clear assignment from his new boss. What insiders also expect Latcham to do – by mandate of Ellison – is to get the Justice League back on the big screen as soon as possible. That would be a sharp turn from the slower approach of the previous regime.
The same report suggests the studio will lean on its most famous names. The expected focus is on heavyweights such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash, rather than lesser-known characters like the Polka Dot Man or Supergirl. In other words, the A-list comes first, and the deep cuts move further down the list.
According to TheWrap, Gunn’s “Gods and Monsters” era favored obscure characters, and the outlet links that choice to the franchise’s commercial struggles. An anonymous producer told the outlet that audiences weren’t interested in what they saw as a corny, old-fashioned take on DC.
Make way for justice. Watch the SDCC Hall H Sneak Peek for #JusticeLeague now. In theaters November 17. #WBSDCC https://t.co/bMPkO4Pw5s
— Justice League Movie (@justiceleaguewb) July 22, 2017
The numbers help explain why Skydance wants a change. ‘Superman’ earned $618 million worldwide in 2025, while ‘Supergirl’ took in $126 million worldwide this summer and was described as a box office disappointment amid a rough year for Warner Bros.
‘Clayface’ did better relative to its budget. It made $109 million worldwide through 3 weekends on a $40 million budget, which the article calls respectable but not what Skydance wants. Not every project struggled, though. HBO’s ‘Lanterns’ averaged 19.3 million viewers.
Ellison picked someone who helped build the very model DC has spent years trying to match. Latcham’s credits include ‘Iron Man,’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy,’ ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and ‘The Avengers,’ and he will lead DC’s film, television and animation slate. In a post on X, Ellison praised him as one of the founding team behind the MCU who helped define the modern superhero movie.
The reporting structure is changing too. Latcham will report to Skydance film chiefs Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg, not to Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav as Gunn and Safran did. TheWrap also notes that he may be less creatively demanding in the executive role than a filmmaker like Gunn.
Not everything is going back to the drawing board. ‘Man of Tomorrow’ is already in post-production and is currently the only DC film on the release calendar. Planned additions include Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Xolo Maridueña returning as Blue Beetle, and Adria Arjona in a mystery role many expect to be Wonder Woman.
That sequel could become the bridge to a team-up. Some commentators already expect the new leadership to follow the Marvel playbook, building toward a large and expensive ensemble film. With Green Lantern and possibly Wonder Woman already in place, the pieces may be closer than they seem.
Batman is still the big question mark. Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman: Part II’ is in production, and Gunn has said Reeves’ films exist outside the main DC continuity. How the Dark Knight fits into a fast-tracked Justice League is one of the first puzzles Latcham will have to solve.
Do you think DC should bring the Justice League back to theaters as quickly as possible?
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