Matthew Vaughn Reveals James Gunn's DC Has Reached Out to Him

A number of characters and titles are set to flourish under DC Studios' new era, with James Gunn and Peter Safran lining up a number of movies and Max-exclusive television shows. With three of the films — Gunn's Superman: Legacy, James Mangold's Swamp Thing, and Andy Muschietti's The Brave and the Bold — already set with directors, there has been a fair amount of speculation about who will helm the other blockbusters. Matthew Vaughn, who has helmed projects like Kingsman: The Secret Service and Kick-Ass, has been a name that fans have theorized about, particularly for the ensemble film The Authority — and according to him, it's not completely out of the question. In a recent appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Vaughn confirmed that he is talking to Gunn and Safran, but is currently focusing on his own ideas and franchises.

"DC has reached out and Gunn and Peter, we've been talking," Vaughn revealed. "Never say never, at the moment I'm enjoying creating my own things. The franchise is in the best hands, so let's see what happens."

What Is on the DC Universe Slate?

As Gunn and Safran revealed earlier this year, the initial DC Studios slate for "Gods and Monsters" will include movies for Superman: Legacy, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. It will include the HBO Max television shows Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and an animated Creature Commandos series.

"We're honored to be the stewards of these DC characters we've loved since we were children," Gunn and Safran said in a statement when their roles were first announced. "We look forward to collaborating with the most talented writers, directors, and actors in the world to create an integrated, multilayered universe that still allows for the individual expression of the artists involved. Our commitment to Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Harley Quinn, and the rest of the DC stable of characters is only equaled by our commitment to the wonder of human possibility these characters represent. We're excited to invigorate the theatrical experience around the world as we tell some of the biggest, most beautiful, and grandest stories ever told."

What Is The Authority About?

The Authority is a team of antiheroes that, in the comics, includes characters like Apollo, Jenny Quantum, Jenny Sparks, Midnighter, Deathblow, Engineer, Flint, Freefall, Grifter, Jack Hawksmoor, Rainmaker, and Swift. Plot details surrounding The Authority movie are currently under wraps, although Gunn has teased that it will be an unconventional superhero tale.

"This is a big movie and I don't know how many of you know are familiar with The Authority," Gunn told reporters when announcing the DCU slate in January. "The Authority is a very different kind of superhero story. They are basically good intentioned, but they think that the world is completely broken. And the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments, whatever they want to do to make the world better. We'll see how that journey goes for them."