When DC Studios announced big picture plans for the DC Universe in early 2023, dubbed Gods And Monsters, the slate included a number of notable projects, but they came with a promise: no film or television show would enter production until a proper script was developed. This has worked out for a few titles so far, including Superman, the TV series Lanterns (which just dropped its first look),Supergirl: World Of Tomorrow and Clayface (which rocketed through pre-production thanks to a hailed screenplay by Mike Flanagan), but some projects have stalled – with The Authority being one of them.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn provided an update on The Authority during a sit down with members of the press on the Warner Bros. lot, and he explained that the movie hasn’t been able to gain positive momentum in development. He explained that the biggest issue have been existing adaptations of comics that were influenced by the DC property, specifically citing the Amazon Prime Video series The Boys. Said Gunn,
Honestly, Authority has been the one that’s been the hardest – both because of the shifting overall story and because of getting it right in a world with with The Boys and a world with all the things that the Authority influenced that came out after it. And also having a lot of characters that we’ve fallen in love with that we’ve already filmed and have that we want to continue their stories and see them meet each other. I will admittedly say it’s, it’s a little bit more on the back burner right now.
Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, The Authority is a team of ultra powerful heroes who go to extreme lengths to accomplish their missions – even if it requires heavy collateral damage. It’s a more cynical approach to superhero storytelling, and it’s understandable that it’s a trickier team to sell as having a new and original tone when The Boys has been successfully doing that on the small screen for years at this point (and Season 5 is on the way!).
A movie specifically centered on The Authority may be on the proverbial backburner, but it’s worth noting that the DC Universe isn’t launching without a key influence from those characters. Specifically, Angela Spica a.k.a. Engineer, played by María Gabriela de Faría, by will be making her live-action debut this summer in Superman.
Beyond Superman, the DC Universe’s slate for the big screen includes the aforementioned Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (hitting theaters on June 26, 2026) and Clayface (September 11, 2026). The franchise is also developing Sgt. Rock with director Luca Guadagnino, Swamp Thing with James Mangold, and The Brave And The Bold with Andy Muschietti. Recognizing the quality control involved along with the excellent talent, there’s a lot to be excited about in the future of the canon, so be sure to stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for all of the latest news and updates.
