James Gunn Confirms Complete DCU Timeline Through 2026 (Movies & TV Series)

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn cleared up some confusion with regard to the order of the DCU in terms of the franchise's in-universe timeline. Gunn's new DC saga is still in its infancy after teaming up with Peter Safran to be the co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios, now looking to get going on the big screen after kicking things off in late 2024.

James Gunn confirmed the order of the timeline for his new DCU, laying out the first few projects in chronological order. With some confusion amongst fans on how the franchise will move forward with a couple of entries released before its inception, Gunn cleared up any misconceptions about what to expect in terms of the DCU's progression by project.

Responding to a fan on Threads, the DC Studios head put it simply by explaining that the current release order lines up with the timeline in the universe itself:

"As of now it’s basically as the movies and shows come out — although of course some of these feature flashbacks…"

Timeline Order For the First 5 DCU Projects

Creature Commandos

Creature Commandos officially kicked off the DC Universe in December 2024, following up the story first laid out in 2021's The Suicide Squad. Bringing back a few key antiheroes and villains from that movie in animated form, this show gave fans a taste of what to expect with Gunn's voice and filmmaking style behind DC's top names.

Behind this team, Creature Commandos finished with the defeat of Maria Bakalova's Princess Ilana Rostovic, with The Bride helping lead a revamped unit into Season 2. Featuring the last-minute return of King Shark and an upgraded body for G.I. Robot, the stage is set for a thrilling ride once Season 2 comes in.

Creature Commandos Season 1 is now streaming on Max. Season 2 is confirmed for development, but it does not have a release timeframe yet.

Superman

Following Creature Commandos, DC Studios will blast into theaters for the first time in July with Superman, the first solo movie in James Gunn's DCU. Starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, next to an excellent supporting cast, this will be the first solo Superman movie to hit the big screen since 2013's Man of Steel.

Directed and written by Gunn, Superman will pick up with the main hero about a year into his run as Metropolis' protector, still working to navigate his life at the Daily Planet and as a hero. Fighting villains like Lex Luthor and more, Clark Kent will face plenty of danger and mayhem as he shows the world what it takes to be a hero.

Superman will soar into theaters on July 11.

Peacemaker Season 2

The next project being released after Superman will be Peacemaker Season 2, continuing the story set up for Christopher Smith in Season 1 and The Suicide Squad. Behind a cast led by John Cena, including newcomers like White Rabbit actress Brey Noelle, this R-rated series will continue its trend of wild, violent antics soon.

With everything except the Justice League cameo considered canon from Season 1, Season 2 will take the insanity to new levels, even including a second version of Cena's Peacemaker. This will bring plenty of questions, along with direct ties to Superman due to Frank Grillo's inclusion in both as Rick Flag Sr., giving viewers more than enough to chew on as this popular antihero comes back to the spotlight.

Peacemaker Season 2 will debut on HBO Max on August 21.

Lanterns

DC Studios' Chapter 1 slate will continue after Peacemaker with Lanterns, the first Green Lantern-centric live-action project released since 2011's disastrous Green Lantern film. Starring Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan, this show will shine a light on the entire Green Lantern Corps as they protect the galaxy.

Lanterns will feature Hal and John investigating an Earth-based mystery that ties back to the larger story being told in the DCU's Chapter 1, all while dealing with Ulrich Thompson's Sinestro. This will introduce the Lantern Corps to the greater DC Universe for the first time, setting up Hal or John for an eventual run with the Justice League.

Lanterns is expected to debut on HBO Max in early 2026.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow

Coming about a year after Superman will be the first Supergirl solo movie, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, giving Kara Zor-El her first chance to take off. House of the Dragon's Milly Alcock will lead the way alongside Jason Momoa's new DC supervillain, Lobo, in a film directed by Craig Gillespie.

While the movie is based on Tom King's famous comic run, plot details for Supergirl remain largely under wraps as filming quickly approaches its final stages. Alcock is also expected to have at least a cameo role in 2025's Superman, leading into her own solo movie after a first on-screen interaction with her cousin.

Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow will blast into theaters on June 26, 2026