Previously In the DCU
An Estimated Timeline of the DCU
By John Williams
Given that I've been hearing a lot of confusion over the timeline specifics with James Gunn's new DCU, I thought it would be fun to put together a quick guide as to what's canon and what's not. Based on interviews and on-screen evidence, let's take a journey through this new expansive DC Universe. Do you wanna taste it?
While not 100% canon, since according to Superman (2025), that movie was the first time Superman lost. So it's impossible for Bloodsport to be in prison because he shot Superman with a kryptonite bullet. But, other projects frequently reference this movie, like Creature Commandos name dropping "Project Starfish" and Peacemaker constantly referencing Rick Flag's death. I think its safe to say that a version of the events of this movie took place in this new DCU.
As evidenced by the recap of Peacemaker Season 2 premiere, the events of Season 1 are pretty much unchanged, aside from the Justice League cameo. Just switching out the Justice League for the Justice Gang was more seamless than I thought it would be. Peacemaker's character arc of trying to better himself despite his past and his father remains intact, just replacing the Aquaman jokes with Green Lantern jokes to still signify that he's still pretty dumb when it comes to information.
This hasn't been confirmed verbally in any project yet, but the blink-and-you-miss-it cameo of Blue Beetle in Circe's vision in Creature Commandos has me hopeful that this movie remains canon. It's probably one of the only DCEU movie's that are so self contained, that it would still work in the DCU regardless. Given that Xolo Mariduena is reprising his role in the Blue Beetle animated series gives me hope.
UPDATE: James Gunn, in an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, has said that the Blue Beetle film fits nicely within the DCU. So, I take that as a confirmation.
A soft start to the DCU, with things finally falling in place. The culmination of not only storylines from The Suicide Squad but also Peacemaker with Adebayo outing her mother, Amanda Waller, to the press by the end of Peacemaker Season One. That forces the government to restrict her powers within A.R.G.U.S. Of course, she finds a work-around of these restrictions, and puts together a team of covert monsters to help her with undercover missions. Like I said in previous entries, this show pretty much confirms some canonicity with other previous entries, like The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and Blue Beetle.
The true start to the DCU, as James Gunn has stated multiple times in interviews. Everything from this movie forward (unless explicitly stated otherwise as Elseworlds, like Matt Reeves The Batman Epic Crime Saga Universe) is DCU canon. Little subtleties like the Peacemaker cameo on the television, or Rick Flag, Sr.'s role in the plot just makes the universe feel so connected and lived in. Not only that, but it sets up potential future stories, like the upcoming Green Lantern television show next year.
Spinning out of the events of Superman, and effectively retconning the DCEU Justice League out of season one, this season deals with everyones psychological damage suffered from the first season. Peacemaker dealing with inadequacy due to the other superheroes mocking him (we see Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Maxwell Lord mock him), and everybody losing their jobs except for John Economos, who we saw in Creature Commandos and still working with Amanda Waller. I'm really looking forward to how this season plays out, and further connects the DCU.
Thats the entire timeline up till this point. I'm sure some of you might be asking "where's the Vigilante/Eagly comic? Isn't that canon?" No. James Gunn said in an interview that, while he did consult on that book, he doesn't consider it canon. It's more canon-adjacent to him. But anyway, that's the entire timeline, and I really look forward to how this universe is going to expand over the next couple of years.
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