James Gunn and Peter Safran's surprising departure from DC Studios as co-CEOs has sparked debate in the DC community, and one actor from the director's Superman film has broken her silence on the disappointing news. Gunn's role at DC involved the creation of a rebooted shared universe, replacing Zack Snyder's defunct DC Extended Universe after that franchise wrapped in 2023. Gunn's time in charge comes to an end after only four years, leaving fans wondering whether the universe will reboot again. The actor in question has reassuring words.
Neva Howell, who plays Ma Kent in James Gunn's Superman movie and its upcoming sequel Man of Tomorrow, reacted to the news on X, engaging fans who feared the DCU was over with Gunn out of the picture. Quote-posting a report on the exit, the Superman actress said, "No panic here. I get this decision."
Howell then went a step further in a reply to a concerned fan. She urged DC supporters to stay patient before jumping to conclusions about the future of the franchise, saying, "I know, but let the dust settle if you can."
Her second comment is the more interesting one, offering a silver lining for the survival of Gunn's DCU as it stands. DC has gone through more than enough reboots, and fans naturally fear another one would hurt the brand further after it barely held its image together through the last reboot.
Gunn himself addressed the exit in a lengthy Threads statement on Monday. The filmmaker admitted that his time as an executive proved "trying, to say the least," and pointed out that he "dislike[s] the at-times corporate nature of the job." He also confirmed he is writing one more secret DC movie and promised that the characters he and Safran set up will live on beyond their tenure as studio heads, which officially ends December 1.
More DCU Stars React to James Gunn's DC Exit
Neva Howell isn't the only DCU star to respond. Other actors who were integral to Gunn-helmed projects took to social media to share their thoughts. Steve Agee, one of Gunn's closest allies, shared a screenshot of the director's farewell message and wished him well, saying, "Thanks for bringing me along on this ride @jamesgunn! It's been an amazing ride." Agee played John Economos in The Suicide Squad, both seasons of Peacemaker, and also voiced the character in Creature Commandos. Agee's Economos is clearly a big part of the DCU, but his message feels a bit like a farewell for him as well, not just Gunn.
There is still plenty for John Economos to do in this universe, provided the next CEO, Jeremy Latcham, officially announced by Skydance on Monday, decides to continue Gunn's vision. Creature Commandos is returning for a second season, where Agee could easily return. Of course, his message could also be a simple goodbye with nothing more to read into it.
Another Peacemaker star, Nhut Le, was also quick to share his sentiments on Gunn's departure, telling the director, "No doubt you'll continue to do great things" in an Instagram comment. Le gave fans plenty of great memories with his hilarious portrayal of Judomaster, the deadly assassin who terrorized the 11th Street Kids for almost the entire series before becoming an ally at the tail end of Season 2.
There's been talk of a Checkmate series as a follow-up to Peacemaker, where Le would likely have returned. However, with James Gunn out the door, it's hard to see a project as Gunn-coded as that being a priority at the studio.
More farewell messages came along, with the most positive one coming from Sol Rodriguez. In an Instagram comment, she wrote, "Love you James! Your dedication and passion will continue to live on everything you do! Im excited for you!!"
Rodriguez's message subtly suggests Gunn's DCU vision will live on at DC Studios, but again, it could just be her being gracious, not necessarily an indication of what happens next at the studio. Rodriguez played Sasha Bordeaux in Peacemaker Season 2, the ARGUS agent revealed to be a cyborg late in the season.
Superman star Mikaela Hoover was equally excited to see where Gunn goes next, saying it was "a true privilege" to work alongside him:
"Watching you take on this job has been a true privilege. You have led with so much love and passion. I am proud of you and all that you have done for the DC universe, the fans, the actors, and everyone behind the scenes. Excited to see what's to come from that genius deranged brain."
David Krumholtz, who joined the DCU this summer playing Zor-El in Supergirl, also left a comment under Gunn's Instagram post, writing "Thanks so much brother." So far, there is little to suggest Skydance will do another DC reboot, especially with so many projects on the way and the universe still so young. It is likely, though, that some of the plans Gunn plotted out will be altered along the way, even as the studio continues the Gods and Monsters story he started.
Geraldo Amartey is a writer at The Direct. He joined the team in 2025, bringing with him four years of experience covering entertainment news, pop culture, and fan-favorite franchises for sites like YEN, Briefly and Tuko.
