Hollywood’s Midterm Election Aftermath and James Gunn Out at DC

Summary of Hollywood’s Midterm Election Aftermath and James Gunn Out at DC

by The Ringer

37m•November 10, 2026
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Overview of Hollywood’s Midterm Election Aftermath and James Gunn Out at DC

This episode of The Town examines how the post-midterm political shift could affect Hollywood, from potential congressional scrutiny of media companies that courted Trump, to the fate of a federal film-production tax incentive, to whether California and Los Angeles leaders will finally take production flight seriously. The episode also turns to a major studio shakeup: James Gunn and Peter Safran are out at DC Studios, with a new leadership structure expected under Skydance/Warner’s evolving ownership and management priorities.

Election Aftermath: What the Midterms Could Mean for Hollywood

National politics and media-company scrutiny

  • The hosts debate whether Democrats, now in a stronger position, will investigate major media and tech companies that were seen as overly friendly with Trump.
  • Likely targets discussed include:
    • Skydance / the Ellison family
    • Amazon and the Melania documentary deal
    • Broader tech-media relationships involving Trump and Elon Musk
  • The consensus: some investigations and ethics activity are likely, but a high-profile probe into Skydance’s Trump ties may not be the top priority.

Why CNN and news divisions matter more than trade-press controversies

  • The conversation suggests Democrats would pay more attention to CNN and CBS News than niche outlets, because those brands are more visible to the public.
  • If ownership changes alter coverage in a way that becomes obvious to viewers, that could trigger political backlash or hearings.

The Federal Film Tax Credit Push

Why the lame-duck window matters

  • A major point of the episode is the push for a federal production tax incentive.
  • The hosts believe the best chance to pass it is during the lame-duck session, before Democrats fully take power and move on to more urgent priorities like healthcare and the economy.
  • There’s a sense that if Republicans and Trump still support it, the bill could sneak through now.

Competing theories on what happens next

  • One view: Democrats may not prioritize Hollywood incentives at all once in office.
  • Another view: Trump could suddenly reverse course and block it, especially if he decides the bill is a giveaway to Hollywood.
  • Bottom line: the next two months are seen as the critical window for getting the tax credit done.

California and Los Angeles: Can Local Leaders Help Production?

The industry wants more than just tax credits

  • The episode argues that California’s production problem is not only about tax rates.
  • Other deterrents include:
    • permitting delays
    • fees
    • general red tape
    • a lack of urgency from city and state leadership

Pressure on LA and state officials

  • The hosts criticize prior city leadership, especially for not engaging seriously during the 2023 strikes and the broader production exodus.
  • They discuss how the new Los Angeles leadership, including Mayor Karen Bass, and state leadership under Gov. Gavin Newsom, could still make a difference if they prioritize the issue.
  • A bigger, more competitive California credit program is seen as one of the few real tools available to keep production in-state.

Nithya Raman and Hollywood ties

  • Nithya Raman is mentioned as a more pragmatic progressive with real Hollywood connections through her family and supporters.
  • The hosts suggest she could be sympathetic to production concerns, even if it is not her top political issue.

DC Studios Shakeup: James Gunn and Peter Safran Out

What happened

  • The second half of the episode shifts to entertainment business news: James Gunn and Peter Safran are out as DC Studios chiefs.
  • Jeremy Latcham is brought in to lead the DC side moving forward.
  • Although the transition was not entirely unexpected, the timing surprised some observers, especially since Gunn had a film in the pipeline.

The real issue: process and power, not just talent

  • The hosts argue that this is less about Gunn and Safran’s creative abilities and more about organizational control.
  • Under the new regime:
    • Gunn and Safran no longer have the same direct line to the top
    • the structure becomes more centralized under trusted executives
    • the new leadership wants “their people” in charge

Why this matters for superhero franchises

  • The episode emphasizes that superhero universes depend on long-term consistency.
  • DC has repeatedly reset its leadership, which makes it hard to build a coherent 10-year plan.
  • The discussion compares DC unfavorably to Marvel’s long-running, more stable model under Kevin Feige.

Main Takeaways

  • The midterms may shift Hollywood’s political environment, but the biggest practical impact is likely on tax policy and regulatory pressure, not culture-war content shifts.
  • A federal film tax credit has a real chance in the lame-duck period, but only if it moves quickly.
  • California and Los Angeles leaders still have room to make production more attractive, but they need to treat it as a serious economic issue.
  • The DC Studios shakeup reinforces a bigger lesson in Hollywood: creative universes need stability, and repeated executive turnover makes that nearly impossible.