James Gunn On Future R-Rated DC Projects, Reveals Superman: Legacy’s Rating

January 31, 2023, 1:05pm

Times are changing in the DC Universe. Co-heads of DC Studios James Gunn and Peter Safran unveiled their plans for Chapter 1 of a semi-rebooted DC Universe today, one which will still release upcoming already-finished projects like Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Blue Beetle but will also include a number of new films and television programs that take the franchise in a fresh direction. Much of that will be thanks to The Flash, as Gunn confirmed that the events of that film “reset” the entire DC Universe. Superman: Legacy and beyond will be proper canon in the DC Universe going forward, while upcoming sequels like The Batman: Part II and Joker: Folie à Deux will exist in their own elseworlds pockets.

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Gunn’s shake-up to the DC Universe is not too foreign either. When the Guardians of the Galaxy director first entered the franchise, he did so by bringing the first Rated-R project into the now-defunct DCEU with 2021’s The Suicide Squad.

Speaking on whether those mature ratings could continue in the new DC Universe, Gunn noted that it will vary from project to project.

“It depends on the story,” Gunn said. “We’re going to give every story what it deserves.”

While some stories warrant an increase in mature themes, Gunn noted that the DC Universe’s first official project is one that he wants to remain family-friendly.

“Some things we know. Superman is definitely something that we would like to be PG-13,” Gunn continued. “I’m going to make sure that it is.”

Where things get blurry come in the projects that already have Rated-R roots.

“Other things like the Waller TV show are a little bit more mature,” Gunn added. “We have other things that are a little bit more aimed towards young women or kids that are still within this world, but kind of feeds everything back into the Supermans, and The Brave and the Bolds, that everyone can see.”

The full DC Universe: Chapter 1 slate can be seen below…