James Gunn Admits Some DC Characters Won’t Get Movies: “It’s Harder to Get People in the Theater”
James Gunn has made it clear he’s not afraid to spotlight some of DC’s more obscure heroes. We’ve already seen this in Superman and the upcoming Peacemaker Season 2, with characters like Mister Terrific and Metamorpho making appearances.
But, while Gunn enjoys pulling deep cuts from the comics, he recently admitted that lesser-known characters probably won’t be leading their own movies anytime soon.
In a new interview with Deadline, Gunn was asked about the status of the long-announced The Authority, a project that will bring WildStorm’s anti-heroes into the DCU. The film had been pushed aside earlier this year, but Gunn confirmed it’s still alive, though the format may not be what fans expect.
"There's someone who is a really good creator who talked to me the other day," Gunn revealed. When asked if that meant The Authority could become a TV series instead of a movie, Gunn responded:
"Who knows. I'm probably not going to do certain movies with characters who [audiences] don't know; it's harder to get people in the theater for that kind of thing."
Back in February, Gunn had already hinted at the struggles facing the project, saying The Authority “got messed with through all of the other things that were happening,” including Superman. He also admitted the script had been slow to develop, telling reporters that it “wasn’t a priority at the moment.”
First introduced in 1999, The Authority is often described as a more brutal, morally gray version of the Justice League. The team is known for taking extreme measures to save the world, no matter the cost. One member, The Engineer, played by María Gabriela de Faría, already appeared in Superman.
Meanwhile, Gunn continues to weave connections across the DCU on both the big and small screen. Peacemaker Season 2 recently surprised fans with a cameo from Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, footage that was shot during the filming of Superman.
Gunn noted how different it felt seeing Hoult’s villain show up in the Max series.
"It was cool, it was weird because tonally, it instantly felt different from Superman, which is so big and brash, and then this show is so strangely grounded and gritty.”
While The Authority may be on the sidelines for now, the DCU train isn’t slowing down. Next up is Supergirl, which soars into theaters on June 26, 2026.