Frank Grillo Thanks James Gunn and Peter Safran After Their DC Studios Exit
DC Studios is going through a major leadership change. On Monday, Gunn and Safran were replaced by Marvel veteran Jeremy Latcham as the president of DC Studios. Gunn and Safran had overseen the DCU reboot when they took charge of the studio in 2022.
The shake-up set off a wave of reactions across social media. Grillo chose to respond to all that noise with his own long video message. He posted the video on Instagram on Wednesday, after the dust settled and online opinions started piling up.
Grillo is one of the most connected actors in the new universe. He’s been a mainstay in the DC Universe with his role as Rick Flag Sr. in “Superman,” “Peacemaker,” “Creature Commandos” and next summer’s “Man of Tomorrow,” and he posted a video message supporting the ousted DC Studios chiefs. In the clip, he thanked Gunn and Safran as two of the finest people he’s met in the business, describing them as fiercely loyal, passionate and creative collaborators.
Grillo looked back on every project he’s made with the pair. He called the experience across ‘Creature Commandos’, ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Superman’ and the upcoming ‘Man of Tomorrow’ extraordinary, describing it as a gift.
He also pushed back on critics who judge the duo only by their output. Grillo framed James Gunn and Peter Safran as an example of class in Hollywood, and he pushed back on anyone judging them by their filmography. He said that whether people like their movies or not doesn’t matter to him, because on a personal level he hasn’t met two better human beings.
Frank Grillo has made a video about James Gunn and Peter Safran leaving DC Studios. “These two men are an example of class and what men are capable of in Hollywood. Whether you like their movies or not is irrelevant to me.” https://t.co/ZU5B0Fe0nd
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) November 11, 2026
The tribute wasn’t entirely serious. The friendship claim came with a joke. Grillo said he considers both men dear friends and would even pick Peter up at the airport, but maybe not James. He signed off by thanking “you boys” and saying he looks forward to “what we’re gonna do next.”
That playful ribbing fits the pair’s public relationship. Earlier this year, James Gunn playfully called out Frank Grillo over his DCU secret-keeping skills. Gunn shared a clip about John Cena and the future of Peacemaker, praised Cena as great at keeping secrets, and hinted that Grillo did not share that talent.
Here you go: the #Superman trailer. Krypto, take us home. Watch the teaser trailer now and ❤ this post to get updates from @superman before it hits theaters this July. https://t.co/w77kiKef54
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) December 19, 2024
Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. has played a key role in the franchise’s shared-universe plans. At the end of January 2023, DC Studios CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled the first ten projects of their new DC Universe, promising stars who would cross between film, television and animation. Grillo became the first actor to make that jump within the new slate.
Gunn was a fan of the character from the start. “He is a really cool character that Frank has been molding,” Gunn told Entertainment Weekly at the time. The transition is still underway. Gunn and Safran’s DC Studios exit takes effect on 1 December, with Jeremy Latcham in charge. Grillo is set to appear next in ‘Man of Tomorrow’, which DC currently lists for July 9, 2027.
The leadership change has also raised questions about other projects. Variety reported that ‘Lanterns’ has yet to be renewed, and an insider suggested a second season is unlikely. For now, Grillo’s message stands out as one of the warmest public tributes to the outgoing studio heads.
What do you think of James Gunn and Peter Safran's time leading DC Studios?
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