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James Gunn and Peter Safran Are Stepping Down at DC Studios as Clayface Passes $100 Million

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Peter Safran and James Gunn at the world premiere of Clayface at Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles

James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as the heads of DC Studios, news that broke on November 9th as the studio’s horror film Clayface passed $100 million.

DC Studios Clayface European Premiere
Peter Safran, director James Watkins, Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, and the Clayface cast gathered at Curzon Mayfair in London for the film’s European Premiere on October 20, 2026. Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images.

Clayface is sitting at $109 million worldwide after its second full week (and third weekend) in theaters, on a reported budget of about $44 million at the high end of estimates.

James Gunn
James Gunn photographed by Kevin Winter / Getty Images.

James Gunn and Peter Safran will step down officially on December 1, 2026, about four years after they stepped into the position in 2022. Jeremy Latcham, one of the producers of some pivotal early MCU movies (Iron Man 1 & 2, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Age of Ultron, Spider-Man Homecoming), will take over.

DC Studios Clayface European Premiere
Peter Safran, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of DC Studios, at the Clayface European Premiere held at Curzon Mayfair in London on October 20, 2026. Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack / Getty Images.

James Gunn has stated that his ‘Man of Tomorrow’ will still be released next year.

Gunn and Safran’s approach incorporated less-widely-known characters into the plan, like Peacemaker and Creature Commandos. It included the mitigated risk of a lower-budget horror movie like Clayface, and a surprisingly grounded take on the Lanterns side of the universe, quite different from the MCU.

DC Studios Clayface European Premiere
Peter Safran, director James Watkins, Naomi Ackie, Max Minghella, and the Clayface cast gathered at Curzon Mayfair in London for the film’s European Premiere on October 20, 2026. Photo by Jeff Spicer / Getty Images.
DC Studios Clayface European Premiere
Peter Safran, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of DC Studios, at the Clayface European Premiere held at Curzon Mayfair in London on October 20, 2026. Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack / Getty Images.
World Premiere Of Warner Bros. "Clayface"
At Hollywood Legion Theater in Los Angeles, DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran share a laugh during the world premiere of Warner Bros.’ “Clayface” on October 13, 2026. Photo by Kevin Winter / Getty Images.
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Meet the author

Chris has a degree in film studies at Temple University’s campus in Tokyo, Japan. He is a renowned expert on horror cinema.

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