James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as co-CEOs of DC Studios after four years.

The influential duo took over the comic book studio in 2022, and went onto release Superman, Supergirl and Clayface on the big screen, as well as live actions series The Penguin, Lanterns and Peacemaker season two.

Gunn and Safran, who had a decade's worth of plans in the works, are being replaced by former Marvel boss Jeremy Latcham, and will officially step down on December 1.

The Marvel Studios veteran, who became Kevin Feige's right hand man, has been appointed president and chief creative officer of DC Studios.

Skydance chairman and CEO David Ellison and co-CEO Ynon Kreiz said in a joint statement: "James and Peter launched a new era for DC Studios and led it through a period of real transformation, resetting the foundation and building a slate we're incredibly proud of.

"We're grateful for their passion, contributions and commitment to this legendary brand."

The Skydance chiefs pointed to Latcham as a "longtime creative partner" to both of his predecessors.

They added: "We have complete confidence that James and Peter will ensure a smooth, collaborative transition and continue this work with care

"We look forward to working with Jeremy to build the next generation of DC storytelling and to doubling down on our commitment to fans."

Latcham is one of Marvel Studios' earliest employees, having joined in 2004 and rising through the ranks to senior vice president of production and development.

Alongside Fiege, he worked on the likes of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

In his new role, Latcham will be in charge of DC's film, TV and animation output, overseeing the studio's creative pipeline, as well as production, talent and strategy.

He said: "DC's pantheon of characters is among the most iconic in American popular culture.

"I've had the privilege to help bring some of the most celebrated superhero stories to life on the big screen, and I'm excited and honored for the opportunity to now lead DC Studios into its next era.

"The chance to steward the incredible cast of DC characters to the screen in a way that excites lifelong fans while introducing their timeless stories to the next generation is a massive responsibility that I do not take lightly."

Gunn and Safran still have some creative projects keeping them in the fold, including Gunn's Man of Tomorrow, plus TV spinoff The People v. Gorilla Grodd.

The duo are also both producers on The Batman: Part II.

They said in a joint statement: "Four years ago, we set out to unite DC under one creative vision. In that time, we helped restore Superman to the heart of DC, while opening new doors and telling new stories in film and television with Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, Lanterns and Clayface.

"We're immensely proud of the team that turned that ambition into something real, including the actors, crews and executives we had the opportunity to collaborate with."

They also put a positive spin on the future, including their creative work, and DC's future under Latcham's guidance.

They added: "We've shared a creative history with Jeremy going back to Marvel, and we're eager to see the perspective he brings to DC's next chapter.

"We're excited to return to what drew us to this job in the first place, which is telling the stories we love, including the next chapter of Clark and Lex's journey in Man of Tomorrow."