DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has clarified exactly where DCU canon begins and that John Cena, Xolo Maridueña, and Viola Davis are returning as Peacemaker, Blue Beetle, and Amanda Waller.
In a series of posts on Threads, Gunn made clear that DCU canon will begin with animated series Creature Commandos, followed by Superman: Legacy, and no currently released content like Blue Beetle will be required watching.
Gunn also said it's "okay to be confused" about the current plans, with many DC fans finding the mixed messaging regarding characters like Blue Beetle unclear as the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) — which began with Zack Snyder's Man of Steel and will end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom — comes to a close.
"Nothing is canon until Creature Commandos next year — a sort of aperitif to the DCU — and then a deeper dive into the universe with Superman: Legacy after that," Gunn said. "It’s a very human drive to want to understand everything all the time, but I think its okay to be confused on what’s happening in the DCU since no one has seen anything from the DCU yet.
"And, yes, some actors will be playing characters they’ve played in other stories, and some plot points might be consistent with plot points from the dozens of films, shows, and animated projects that have come from DC in the past. But nothing is canon until [Creature Commandos] and Legacy."
This means that, while the likes of Cena, Maridueña, and Davis will be playing the same DCEU characters, they're not continuing the stories of those previous films and shows. Peacemaker Season 1 (and the upcoming Season 2), 2023's Blue Beetle, and both Suicide Squad films will not be canon to the DCU.
Fans might be hearing more on upcoming projects soon, Gunn added. "I don’t even know where we are with everything, as I haven’t been able to talk with our writers while this [writer's strike] has been happening. Although I’m very happy with the outcome, the strike was a real wrench in the process for sure, so I’ll have to see where we are on everything for the next couple weeks. But yeah I’d imagine more news out in the not-too-distant future."
This news will likely be on the two projects Gunn mentioned as they're kicking off the DCU. Creature Commandos is an animated series in which Amanda Waller creates a black ops team out of monstrous prisoners and stars the likes of Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr. and David Harbour as Eric Frankenstein.
While the show lacks a release date, Superman: Legacy is due to premiere on July 11, 2025, and will tell the story of a young Superman as he balances his Kryptonian and Kansan heritage.
Confusion initially surrounded Henry Cavill's involvement after the Man of Steel actor announced his return as Superman alongside the release of Black Adam, but he later revealed he wouldn't be returning after all following Gunn and co-CEO Peter Safran's shake-up at DC. David Corenswet will play Superman instead, while Rachel Brosnahan will play Lois Lane.
Gunn was confirmed to be writing Superman: Legacy but later revealed he would direct too, though assured that it won't have the "same vibe" as his Marvel superhero offering Guardians of the Galaxy. The film entered pre-production in April, and while details are still slim, Gunn said he's open to making it more mature but is generally aiming for a PG-13 rating.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He'll talk about The Witcher all day.
