With the release of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” at the end of 2023, the former DC Universe, dubbed the DCEU (aka the Snyderverse) died. What comes next? Welcome to the new DC Universe, which is being headed up by James Gunn and Peter Safran. The director of the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trilogy and the accomplished producer are ushering in a new era for DC, one that began last year with the release of the animated “Creature Commandos” on HBO Max. But what comes after that in this new timeline? Is it going to be difficult to follow? At least for now, it’s remarkably simple.
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Recently, a fan on Threads asked Gunn if they are going to create a new DCU timeline on Max, not unlike the one Disney+ has for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Gunn responded and clarified the new DCU timeline as it currently exists. It’s remarkably straightforward for the first couple of years. Per Gunn:
“As of now it’s basically as the movies and shows come out – although of course some of these feature flashbacks – Creature Commandos, Superman, Peacemaker, Lanterns, Supergirl.”
That certainly makes things easy! Save for the flashbacks, the release order is chronological for the new DC Universe, at least for the time being. That means Gunn’s “Superman” movie is up next, followed by “Pacemaker” season 2. That brings us to 2026, which will see the release of the Green Lantern TV show “Lanterns” on HBO Max, while “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow” is due to hit theaters in July of that year.
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It seems impossible that Gunn and Safran can keep things so simple forever but, for the time being, it makes it easy enough to get average viewers on board. The MCU timeline has become unwieldy and inconsistent, making things tricky for viewers who didn’t keep up over the years. It appears as though the brass at DC Studios and Warner Bros. want to avoid such pitfalls in building out this new universe. On paper, that’s great. The former DCEU was a complete mess, with projects existing all over the map.
The DC Universe having a simple timeline is a major advantage
Things got even more complicated when movies like “Joker” and director Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” arrived, existing in their own universes. That’s not to say such things won’t happen in the new DCU. For example, “The Batman Part II” is still in the works, but Robert Pattinson’s Batman won’t be the Batman in Gunn and Safran’s universe. That aside, they really are trying to keep everything consistent.
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There are still other questions that need to be addressed. The first season of “Peacemaker” took place firmly in the former DCEU. Yet, the trailer for “Peacemaker” season 2 puts it firmly in the new DC Universe. That might be confusing for casual viewers. The hope is that Gunn, as a storyteller, can find an effective way to explain that without creating too much confusion. The broader hope is that once these initial growing pains are over with, Gunn and Safran can endeavor to keep the timeline clean.
For what it’s worth, Gunn tried to clarify the new DCU timeline in the past and made things more confusing. In all likelihood, that has more to do with him not being able to talk about specifics, with plot details for so many of the upcoming projects remaining under lock and key. Without picking things apart too much, the good news is that the new regime has a desire to keep things simple. They don’t want these movies and TV shows to feel like homework. That’s the right approach.
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As for other projects in the works that Gunn didn’t place on his timeline, the “Clayface” movie is currently set to hit theaters in September 2026. The only other movies with release dates are “The Batman Part II” and the animated Robin movie “Dynamic Duo” in 2028. Everything else, such as “The Brave and the Bold,” “The Authority,” “Swamp Thing,” and “Teen Titans,” has yet to be given the official green light and/or a release date. Not putting the cart before the horse in that regard is probably for the best. One thing at a time.
“Superman” hits theaters on July 11, 2025.
