While no Justice League project was announced in the new slate of DC films from co-CEOS James Gunn and Peter Safran, a different, more aggressive team of characters will be brought to the big screen.
The highly anticipated first part of a slate of DCU films and shows was announced in a video from Gunn. Among many projects starring fan-favorite characters are Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold.
Notably, however, the first few teams in the new DCU do not include the JLA or Titans but rather some lesser-known properties.
One of these properties will excite fans of Amazon's The Boys as it follows a similar premise: heroes who will go to extreme measures.
A 'Brutal' JLA in New DC Slate
One of the movies in the newly announced DCU Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters is a movie called The Authority, starring a more aggressive team of heroes akin to those in The Boys.
Starring characters originating in WildStorm comics, The Authority is "a passion project" of James Gunn, according to Collider:
"So this is one of my real passion projects. I’ve been working really hard on it with the writers, we’re starting to put together the entire story. [...] This is a big movie. [...] I don’t know how many of you are familiar with the authority WildStorm characters. WildStorm was a comics imprint that was bought by DC that I really love, we’re moving a lot of these WildStorm characters into the DCU."
Gunn took his time with the writers of the film, "work[ing] a lot on the outline for The Authority" despite his busy schedule:
"I only have seven days in the week, all of which are used in the service of DC storytelling. I’m working all the time. I can only do what I can do. So we’re going to have to make a decision at some point. Whether or not, you know, is it better for me to, you know, I can write more. I already wrote all of that. I’ve written a lot of that. I’ve worked a lot on the outline for 'The Authority' myself. So what best serves DC? What best serves the fans? Is it me really focusing on Superman and making sure we have a great opening? Or is it me kind of giving a little bit to that, a little bit to this? It’s not an easy answer, and I’m figuring it out as I go along. It’s the number one unknown thing about this, I don’t have all the answers. I’m just trying to learn as best as I can, how we can keep the quality because that’s what matters."
The team, known as an "anti-Justice League," comes from the aforementioned WildStorm comics and are "cynical, brutally pragmatic superheroes" created by Warren Ellis. The team is willing to brutally harm, maim, and kill their enemies, choosing violence over amicability whenever possible.
Gunn has emphasized, according to SlashFilm, that the team is "basically good-intentioned." But given the team's history, intentions and execution are two different animals.
This concept of "good-intentioned" heroes who are not afraid to cross the lines many heroes won't cross is familiar to fans of The Boys, who can now look forward to a DC movie focusing on a similar premise.
How DC Is Starting New Slate Aggressively
Continued comparisons between The Authority and The Boys are inevitable, but neither is the first to tackle the question of how far people with superpowers and a strict moral code will go.
James Gunn's Peacemaker HBO Max series saw the character Vigilante murdering people who don't align with his values and view of the law (despite him breaking the law by murdering lawbreakers). Perhaps The Authority will take cues from Vigilante's story as well.
Additionally, The Authority's film seemingly preceding any full JLA project indicates an interesting build-up to a team that historically, unlike the one seen before it, strives for peace above violence and resorts to violence only after peace is attempted. And even then, most of the JLA has no-kill codes.
Until the release of this newly announced film, excited fans can watch The Boys on Amazon Prime Video, whetting their appetites for more stories about brutal superheroes.
See The Direct's coverage of the rest of DC's announcements for more on The Authority and other new projects.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
