The Engineer just returned in a new DC Studios release after The Authority's cancellation earlier this year. James Gunn set out to establish the DCU as a living, breathing world with Superman, one already populated with heroes and villains who would become crucial parts of a larger puzzle. Maria Gabriela de Faria's The Engineer was just one piece of that puzzle, debuting as a creation of Lex Luthor, whose blood was infused with nanites, allowing her to morph her body and interface with tech. While Superman left her fate somewhat ambiguous, The Engineer just returned in DC Studios' latest release before Man of Tomorrow.
Interestingly, The Engineer was actually created by WildStorm Productions, a comic imprint founded by DC Comics legend Jim Lee, where she was a member of both StormWatch and The Authority. The imprint was acquired by DC Comics in 1999, and some of its characters were later folded into the main continuity.
Back in January 2023, James Gunn announced The Authority as a live-action movie in the DCU, which would presumably have featured The Engineer. Despite years of development, with writer Jeremy Slate at one point penning the script, The Authority was later canceled by DC Studios in April because it "didn't work" in terms of the storyline, practicality, and integrating it into the larger DCU.
The Authority is a team of anti-heroes who are cynical, brutally pragmatic, and willing to use lethal force in pursuit of "good." Outside of The Engineer, other frequent members include Jenny Sparks, Jack Hawksmoor, Midnighter, Apollo, The Doctor, and Jenny Quantum, though it's unclear who was part of the DCU's plan.
The Engineer proved herself to be a powerful force for Lex Luthor in Superman, taking down Krypto and putting on an impressive fight against David Corenswet's Man of Steel, albeit assisted by the Kryptonian clone, Ultraman.
The Engineer's first appearance ended as she attempted to fill Superman's lungs with nanites, only to be dragged into space and sent hurtling back down to Earth, leaving her unconscious from the crash, although what happened next is unclear.
James Gunn revealed during Superman's director's commentary that audiences are "going to find out in the next movie" what happened next to The Engineer, thus confirming Angela Spica's return in Man of Tomorrow.
Audiences will have to wait until July 9, 2027, to finally see Man of Tomorrow hit theaters and uncover The Engineer's fate. In the meantime, DC Studios just released Season 2, Episode 2 of Krypto Saves the Day, a series of hilarious shorts inspired by DCU characters but officially non-canon.
The episode sees Lex Luthor return to send his own robo-dog after Krypto in the park, only for them to form a hilarious canine friendship. The five-minute short includes cameos from Metamorpho, Lobo, and, notably, The Engineer, barbecuing in the park while wearing her familiar skin-tight black costume.
The Engineer's cameo is certainly a blink-and-you 'll-miss-it moment, but one that proves DC Studios isn't giving up on the nanite-infused supervillain, even though plans for her own team-up movie, The Authority, have been abandoned.
It's safe to say the barbecue tongs are a pivot from The Engineer's usual nanite shape-shifting in Superman, where she turned her arms into guns and even spinning blades to take on Krypto and the Fortress of Solitude robots.
Unfortunately, the Krypto Saves the Day shorts don't include dialogue, so there is no sign of Maria Gabriela de Faria's voice in her character's 2026 return, even though her likeness and an identical costume were clearly used.
Both Superman and Krypto Saves the Day are streaming now on HBO Max, alongside all of the other currently-released DCU projects. Next up for the DCU is Clayface on Friday, October 23, with Man of Tomorrow slated for release on July 9, 2027, ushering in the next chapter for The Engineer.
What's Next for The Engineer in James Gunn's DCU?
When the curtain falls on Superman, the last thing that audiences hear about The Engineer is that she was knocked unconscious. It stands to reason that she landed in prison alongside Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor, which could tee up her freedom in Man of Tomorrow when her old boss is freed, likely by his new ally, Rick Flag Sr.
The fact that DC Studios was planning for The Engineer to join The Authority may suggest that she was originally heading in an anti-hero direction in the DCU. Even in the absence of like-minded allies, that direction may hold into Man of Tomorrow, with Angela Spica joining the fight for Earth and going against Brainiac.
Just as The Engineer was introduced in Superman, it's entirely possible that other members of The Authority will still be sprinkled across the DCU in supporting roles before they one day assemble. DC Studios could take a similar approach to what the MCU did with Thunderbolts*, with a very gradual, less direct set-up.
Interestingly, when James Gunn announced that The Authority was dead in April, he hinted that "maybe someday" they may try again, but "not soon." Perhaps that could lead DC Studios to circle back to The Authority once more important characters, namely the core members of the Justice League, are established.
