DC Studios is getting a new boss, and his approach to superhero movies could signal a major change in direction. Jeremy Latcham, one of the executives who helped build the Marvel Cinematic Universe, will replace James Gunn and Peter Safran as president and chief creative officer of DC Studios on December 1st. Latcham has an impressive history with Marvel, but one of his most important contributions to the studio’s early success came down to a surprisingly simple question: Would his grandmother like it?
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Latcham joined Marvel Studios in 2004, working his way up to senior vice president of production and development alongside Kevin Feige. He was an associate producer on 2008’s Iron Man, co-producer on Iron Man 2, and executive producer on The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Spider-Man: Homecoming. After leaving Marvel in 2017, he founded Latcham Pictures, producing Bad Times at the El Royale and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves.
According to the book MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, Latcham had a simple test while developing the original Iron Man: Would his grandmother like it? The question helped guide Marvel’s approach to its earliest films. His grandmother represented ordinary moviegoers who weren’t necessarily comic book fans. Marvel needed to reach those audiences if its characters were going to become household names.
That philosophy was particularly important for Iron Man. Tony Stark wasn’t nearly as recognizable as Spider-Man or the X-Men. Robert Downey Jr.’s performance, the humor, and a straightforward origin story made the movie accessible to audiences who knew nothing about the comics. The larger cinematic universe came later.
Latcham’s philosophy could tell us quite a bit about DC’s future. Gunn and Safran leave behind a mixed record, with creative successes but uneven commercial results. Superman earned more than $618 million worldwide, while Supergirl struggled at the box office. Clayface found an audience, but a successful small budget win isn’t the same as delivering a blockbuster featuring Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman. To only have Superman on screen in that four-year window is an obvious frustration for fans and shareholders alike.
Latcham’s history suggests DC could shift toward more accessible, PG-13 superhero movies built around those properties. R-rated comic book adaptations have an audience, but they also limit who can buy a ticket. There’s room for darker stories and unusual characters, especially on television, but DC needs theatrical hits that appeal to families and casual moviegoers as much as dedicated fans. Latcham inherits a substantial slate, including Man of Tomorrow and The Batman Part II. His experience at Marvel suggests he understands that a successful cinematic universe needs more than compelling characters and interconnected stories. It needs movies that people who have never read a comic book actually want to see.
Marvel took a risk with Iron Man and turned a relatively unknown character into one of the biggest names in Hollywood. DC already has Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. It doesn’t need to convince audiences these characters are worth watching. It needs to give them movies worth showing up for. Now the more important question: Who does Grandma want to play Batman?
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