ZeroHedge reports that director and producer James Gunn is out as a top official at DC after what the outlet describes as a string of box-office disappointments. The site states that Gunn “has been fired from DC,” and later says he and Peter Safran “are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC Studios.”
The article does not cite an official announcement from Warner Bros., DC or Skydance, and it mentions no confirmation, denial or no-comment from the companies or from Gunn.
According to ZeroHedge, Skydance CEO David Ellison and the new leadership team are cleaning house following the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger. The outlet says Gunn remains attached to direct a Superman sequel into 2027, a film it says was already in post-production by the time he left.
ZeroHedge says Gunn’s Superman film, which the outlet describes as featuring commentaries on immigration and American nationalism, was meant to revitalize DC but lost about $42 million after advertising costs.
The outlet says his Supergirl film lost even more, about $120 million including advertising, and that interviews around the movie promoted LGBT and feminist themes.
ZeroHedge describes the HBO series Lanterns as a failure. It says HBO claims strong viewership, while Nielsen figures show moderate results, and that a second season currently looks unlikely.
The outlet says Gunn and Safran are being replaced by Jeremy Latcham, a former Marvel producer. ZeroHedge argues the changes show audiences have rejected political messaging in comic-book entertainment.
