The DC continuity under James Gunn has been one of the biggest talking points since he took over. This primarily stems from two points: A.) Whether Matt Reeves' The Batman universe will merge with the new DCU and B.) What elements from the past DCEU are canon in the new DCU?
DC Studios under James Gunn is officially branching out into four separate timelines. Gunn, who took over as co-head of the studio in late 2022, already rebooted the past DCEU continuity with Superman, relaunching a new DCU. Alongside the new canon, other distinct live-action and animated timelines remain in development under his and Peter Safran's leadership.
The first talking point has been continually proven not to be happening, even though Gunn has not 100% ruled it out; it appears Robert Pattinson will not be on screen with David Corenswet any time soon. The second is a much more complicated conversation, as Gunn worked within the past DCEU during his work on The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1.
This has been directly addressed in Season 2 of Peacemaker, retconning the Justice League to be the Justice Gang at the end of Season 1 and canonizing events like Rick Flag Jr.'s death in The Suicide Squad.
Adding another layer of canonical controversy, the latest episode of Peacemaker seemingly teased that David Ayer's Suicide Squad, specifically Cara Delevingne's Dr. June Moone, aka the Enchantress, could be part of this new continuity.
DC Studios 4 Timelines Explained
New DCU Timeline
This is the most clear-cut timeline under DC Studios. The new DCU will be the main storyline going forward and will be the primary focus of Gunn's attention.
It was soft-launched with the animated series Creature Commandos in late 2024 but hit the general consciousness when Superman was released in theaters in July. The story earned more than $100 million in profit, leading to the announcement of Man of Tomorrow with a surprise second lead.
The upcoming DCU schedule is loaded, with Peacemaker Season 2 actively being released, Lanterns coming next year, Milly Alcock's Supergirl, and a dig into the horror genre with Clayface, which just spoiled its big twist.
Matt Reeves' Batman Crime Saga
Despite there still being more than a 0% chance that The Batman universe fuses with the DCU, all signs point to this remaining a distinct Elseworlds timeline.
In fact, new set photos from Clayface have cemented this notion in many fans' minds, as the Gotham buildings and signage are different than what was shown in The Batman or The Penguin Season 2.
Looking toward the future, The Batman—Part II, for which Matt Reeves finally delivered a script, is supposed to be released on October 1, 2027. The Penguin Season 2 is possible, but as Peter Safran said in the past, "there are a lot of moving pieces."
The gap between the first and second films hasn't gone unnoticed by fans or experts, with one past report indicating that it may not even be the next Batman film to hit theaters.
'My Adventures With' Universe
The My Adventures With universe is expanding beyond Superman, with developer Jake Wyatt confirming on X that My Adventures with Green Lantern will serve as a direct spin-off to Adult Swim's hit animated series My Adventures with Superman.
The Superman show, which debuted in 2023 and is already headed into its third season, has no release date, but Jack Quaid confirmed that production began over one year ago.
My Adventures with Green Lantern has also been quiet since its initial announcement, but releasing soon after the third season of Superman could help define this animated timeline.
Earth-2
Earth-2, as James Gunn called it on Threads, is an alternate universe from Peacemaker Season 2, rumored to have a dark history, possibly one where Hitler won World War II.
For John Cena's Chris Smith, though, this reality feels like paradise: Harcourt is more open to dating him, his brother is alive and grown into a hero, and even his father has returned, with both now part of their own superhero team.
At the center of it all is the Quantum Unfolding Chamber (QUC), a device in Peacemaker's home that allows access to 99 different timelines, though Earth-2 has become the main focus of the season.
How long this universe lasts remains uncertain, but Gunn confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 leads directly into 2027’s Man of Tomorrow, keeping the DCU's multiverse in play (for now).
