Staff Reports
Skydance chairman and chief executive David Ellison just shook up Hollywood by naming Jeremy Latcham president and chief creative officer of DC Studios. The hire takes effect December 1 and replaces Co‑Chairmen James Gunn and Peter Safran. What should be calm business news turned into a social‑media feeding frenzy after clips of Latcham talking about his Christian faith and a so‑called “grandma test” started circulating.
Ellison’s pick: a studio vet with a faith-friendly résumé
Jeremy Latcham is no fly‑by‑night. He helped shepherd early Marvel hits and worked on big franchises like Iron Man and The Avengers before moving into faith‑oriented projects. That pedigree is why Skydance tapped him to lead the DCU’s creative side as it merges into a larger Skydance movie group. This is clearly a business move: Ellison wants steady, wide‑appeal tentpoles that return money, not endless prestige projects that flop at the box office.
Why fans freaked: the “grandma” line and resurfaced faith clips
What turned a routine hire into a culture war moment were short clips from a Bible Bros/CBN interview where Latcham said he often asked, “I don’t know if my grandma would like that,” when deciding if a movie would work for regular people outside Hollywood. Social media predictably split. Some people saw the comments as proof DC is shifting toward conservative, family‑friendly storytelling. Others treated the remarks as a threat to the edgier, woke style they prefer. The reaction wasn’t subtle: it ranged from genuine concern to rude mockery.
Don’t confuse faith with a program to “erase” Hollywood
Here’s the practical bit conservatives should like: studios need paying customers. Latcham’s “grandma test” is shorthand for making movies that a broad audience can enjoy. That’s smart business. It doesn’t mean every DC film will be a sermon or that every creative choice will please everyone. Many big projects already in production will carry James Gunn and Peter Safran’s fingerprints for a while. Real change, if it comes, will show up in future slates, marketing, and hires—not in a single interview clip.
What to watch next
Pay attention to the first slate decisions Latcham greenlights, who he hires as writers and directors, and whether the studio leans away from constant political messaging. Also watch box office results and audience scores. If DC films start bringing in larger, more diverse crowds without alienating core fans, Ellison’s bet will look smart. If not, the drama will move from social media to the boardroom.
At the end of the day, most Americans just want good stories they can take their family to see. The left’s online panic over Latcham’s faith says more about their insecurity than it does about the future of Superman. Hollywood can either chase a shrinking bubble or make movies that earn tickets and respect. If Latcham helps the DCU do the latter, critics can keep tweeting — box office doesn’t care what they think.
