James Gunn has confirmed that “The Authority,” which has been in development for several years at DC Studios, has been scrapped. It’s not happening.
“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 someday. Not soon,” Gunn told a fan on Threads.
This latest update comes after another DCU project, Luca Guadagnino’s “Sgt. Rock,” also entered limbo after production was paused last year.
Furthermore, still in a state of uncertainty are “The Brave and the Bold,” “Swamp Thing,” “Waller,” “Paradise Lost,” and “Booster Gold”—all of which have yet to materialize since being first announced more than three years ago.
Created by Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch, “The Authority” would have been a Guardians of the Galaxy–style ensemble film featuring a diverse and unconventional group of characters, and, given the source material, potentially rated R. The project was announced when DC Studios unveiled its DCU slate in early 2023.
As for projects actually moving forward within Gunn’s DCU, which launched last year with “Superman,” there’s “Supergirl” and “Clayface” arriving this year, along with a “Superman” sequel slated for next summer. Nothing confirmed after that, although I suspect “Wonder Woman” might be next.
I do wonder if Paramount acquiring Warner Bros might be complicating things for Gunn, especially given how much long-term planning the DCU requires. For a connected universe like the DCU, where projects are carefully staged years in advance, uncertainty at the studio level can make scheduling and greenlighting trickier than usual. Is that why, as it stands, Gunn has so far no DCU project scheduled to be shot next year?
Marvel's "Ghost Rider" just hired one of the best cinematographers working today. Linus Sandgren will serve as DP on Shawn Levy's MCU flick, and, most notably, the project will be shot on film.