Momoa is positioning himself as a passionate advocate for authentic, mature storytelling — insisting that Lobo deserves the gritty treatment the character has always warranted in the comics.
Insiders say this ultimatum puts serious pressure on James Gunn and Peter Safran, who are already navigating complex DC Universe planning. Momoa knows his leverage — Aquaman proved he can open films solo.
"I do not have any interest in making a Lobo PG-13 movie." — Jason Momoa to Collider, June 2026. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is based on Tom King's 2022 comic series and premieres June 26, 2026.
Momoa's ultimatum isn't just about blood and gore — it's a power play. DC needs him more than he needs them, and he's making sure everyone knows it.
Jason Momoa is done playing nice with the studio brass. The Aquaman star, who's set to appear as the intergalactic antihero Lobo in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow later this month, just dropped a bombshell that has DC fandom buzzing — and not everyone is thrilled about it. In a candid interview with Collider, Momoa made his stance crystal clear: he will NOT make a standalone Lobo movie unless it's rated R.
Not a negotiation, not a maybe — a hard line drawn in the sand. "It's all I want, and I promise — I'm just going to put this out there right now — I do not have any interest in making a Lobo PG-13 movie," Momoa declared. "If I make a solo movie, I'm not doing it unless it's rated R." That's not a pitch.
That's an ultimatum wrapped in a promise. The Hawaii-born actor also revealed he's already had conversations about the possibility with DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran — which means this isn't just fanboy daydreaming from Momoa. This is a man who's looked his bosses dead in the eyes and said, "Give me blood or give me nothing." Whether Gunn and Safran are prepared to greenlight an R-rated superhero film under their current DC Universe banner remains to be seen, but you can bet this conversation happened more than once over coffee.
For those unfamiliar with Lobo, he's not exactly the kind of character who plays nice in PG-13 territory. In the comics, the Main Man is a genocidal, cigar-chomping bounty hunter from the utopian planet Czarnia — think Wolverine meets Deadpool with an extra helping of carnage. The character has always been a darker, more violent proposition than most of DC's mainstream offerings, which makes Momoa's insistence on an R-rating actually make creative sense.
It's hard to do Lobo justice when you're sanitizing his sadistic humor and brutal methods for a younger audience. The timing is particularly interesting because Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow hits theaters June 26 in both standard and IMAX formats, with Milly Alcock reprising her role as Kara Zor-El. Based on Tom King's acclaimed 2022 comic series illustrated by Bilquis Evely and adapted for the screen by Ana Nogueira, the film also features Eve Ridley as Ruthye Mary Knolle and Matthias Schoenaerts as the villainous Krem.
Momoa's Lobo will appear alongside these characters — but according to his own words, any future solo outing depends entirely on whether DC is willing to let him unleash the full, unfiltered version of the character audiences actually deserve. So what does this mean for the future of DC's cinematic plans? Momoa has leverage here that shouldn't be underestimated.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom grossed over $720 million worldwide in 2023 — he's proven he can carry a franchise solo. If Gunn and Safran want to expand the DC Universe with Lobo, they'll have to decide whether their vision aligns with what Momoa is demanding. The actor has made his position public, which puts the studio in an awkward spot: either give him the R-rating he wants, or risk losing one of their most bankable stars from a project that could be hugely profitable. It's a high-stakes game of chicken, and Momoa just put all his cards on the table.
