James Gunn Confirms Long-Theorized Fate Of The DCU’s R-Rated Team-Up Movie 3 Years Later

Three years after being announced, James Gunn has confirmed the fate of an R-rated DCU team-up movie.

In 2023, Gunn announced the slate for the first chapter of the DCU, known as “Gods and Monsters.” This included Superman, Creature Commandos season 1, and Peacemaker season 2, all of which have since been released, and other announced projects like Supergirl are on the way. However, the slate also featured several movies and shows that have seemingly had little progress in the last three years, leading to speculation that some have been scrapped.

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One of these is The Authority movie, which Gunn confirmed on Threads is no longer moving forward. The co-CEO of DC clarifies that despite online fan theories, there were never any plans for him to direct or write the film. He also explains that the decision to not continue work on the project was due to issues with the script, the movie struggling to fit within the larger DCU, and some practical concerns, but acknowledges that it could eventually be revived. Check out Gunn’s full response below:

Just a normal slip of the tongue. I would have never had time to do this and although I know this is a popular theory online I never had an intention of writing or directing The Authority. The script wasn’t quite there but more importantly it didn’t work in terms of the larger DCU both in terms of the story and practical concerns. Maybe some day. Not soon.

The Authority are a team of antiheroes from DC Comics, whose members have included Jenny Sparks, The Engineer, Midnighter, The Doctor, Swift, Jack Hawksmoor, and Apollo. The Engineer was played by Maria Gabriela de Faría in the DCU’s Superman movie, where the character works with Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). This seemed to be setting up The Authority film, but that is no longer the case.

In the comments of the same post on Threads, Gunn also clarified the fates of two other DCU projects announced in 2023, the television series Booster Gold and Paradise Lost. He shared that “BG is in development. PL is in extreme development.” Paradise Lost is a prequel story about the island of Themyscira and the Amazons, set in the timeline before the introduction of Wonder Woman.

While the DCU’s updated slate has changed significantly compared to what was announced three years ago, Gunn has consistently emphasized that projects will not be officially greenlit until there is a strong script. This is why the Clayface movie is releasing in theaters this October despite not being part of the original “Gods and Monsters” slate, as there was complete confidence in Mike Flanagan’s script. Other projects have taken more time or, as in the case of The Authority, been paused entirely.

Despite The Authority not moving forward, there will still be other opportunities for The Engineer to reappear in the DCU and for other members of the antihero team to debut in the franchise. For example, Gunn has said there are no plans for Peacemaker season 3, but the story of Christopher Smith (John Cena) will continue in other projects. The same can hold true for The Authority, even withou them being the titular characters or primary focus of a story.

While the darker, R-rated The Authority movie is no longer happening, the DCU is not shying away from these kinds of stories. Clayface is a prominent example of this, as it is rated R and has been teased as a genuine horror film. There is not just one kind of style or tone in the DCU, leaving room for hopeful, uplifting stories like Superman and much grittier fare as well.