DC Studios boss James Gunn just approved a verse of the new DCU's timeline, confirming where the franchise's movies and HBO series currently fall in chronological order. Ever since Gunn took over DC's cinematic universe in late 2022 and reversed course on the DCEU to plan his own continuity, fans have had plenty of questions. Once Creature Commandos kicked things off in late 2024, one key question became when these events are actually happening, and it's only gotten louder with each new series and movie. Luckily for fans, the timeline Gunn verified goes beyond just putting things in order, even including exact years.
Following the DCU's two most recent releases, HBO's Lanterns and the horror film Clayface, Gunn recently took it upon himself to clarify where his own 2021 film The Suicide Squad fits into his new DCU, if at all.
The tricky thing about Gunn's new sandbox of DC characters is that he's using some of the toys first introduced during the DCEU era (2013-2023), including their storylines.
This is most noticeable in his pre-DCU projects like The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1, since he wants to continue the stories he himself started there while making it all make sense. He's gone to great lengths, like retconning the end of Peacemaker Season 1, to include the Justice Gang instead of the old DCEU Justice League.
On the new podcast, The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, Gunn ultimately said the movie is mostly canon, but Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) was the greatest outlier and potential point of confusion.
In general, there's truly no way to make everything make 100% sense when it comes to bringing in DCEU-era projects, nor do fans necessarily want that.
Keeping those connections to the DCEU, picking and choosing what is and isn't canon, is a messy way of going about universe-building. A hard reboot was probably never on the table, but examples like the Is It Canon? podcast are a reason why that tough choice could have been the right decision for fans.
Regardless, fans now have plenty of new, 100% indisputable DCU projects that have been released since 2024, but the actual in-universe year in which they occur has never been fully explained.
Gunn still hasn't explicitly laid out the timeline with exact dates, but that didn't stop him from agreeing with a fan-made sequence of DCU events.
The DCU's Updated Timeline (In Order)
To be clear, Gunn didn't fully approve this timeline, nor did he come up with it himself. However, he replied to the fan-made sequence on Threads, writing, "I think this is pretty good."
That's a key indication that, while there are arguments to be made about exact years and some finer details, the sequencing of events looked good enough for Gunn to feel the need to reply, knowing that many fans pay close attention to what the DC Studios co-chair writes online.
Lanterns Episodes 1-5 (2016)
Lanterns actually jumps around all over the DCU timeline, going as early as 1986. However, episodes 1-5 represent the show's main storyline, which takes place in Rushville, Nebraska, in 2016.
Clayface (2021)
Placed in 2021 on the fan timeline, Clayface could actually have taken place even sooner, sometime in the 2010s. Gunn has already called it "the first DCU film out of chronological order," so the only thing for certain is that it's in the past.
Fans also know it's set before Creature Commandos Season 1, since DC Studios confirmed the movie is a prequel to the animated series, which features Clayface.
The Suicide Squad (2022)
Around May 2022 is when The Suicide Squad falls on the timeline, but this one was recently debated by Gunn himself.
He admitted on the Is It Canon? podcast that making everything line up with Superman would mean pushing the movie "up to 2023 or 2024," so no true date can really be placed on it within the canonized timeline.
Peacemaker Season 1 (2022)
October 2022 is the fan pick for Peacemaker Season 1, and it 100% must take place after The Suicide Squad, since the series is a direct follow-up to the movie. Still, declaring an exact year seems a little silly when factoring in what Gunn just said about The Suicide Squad's timeline.
Blue Beetle (2023)
On paper, 2023 could make sense for Blue Beetle, as that's the year the movie hit theaters. The catch is that the project isn't necessarily DCU canon, with Gunn recently confirming that "Blue Beetle the character is canon" without explicitly stating that the movie itself is.
Creature Commandos Season 1 (2024)
There's no doubt Creature Commandos Season 1 comes before the events of Superman, thanks to the Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) connection. That lines up with the timeline's 2024 placement, though one could argue it also takes place in early 2025.
Superman (2025)
Superman sits in May 2025, just a couple of months before the film's July 2025 theatrical release. The Daily Planet newspapers gave away that the film is specifically taking place in the middle of that month.
Peacemaker Season 2 (2025)
Roughly 30 days after the conclusion of Superman, Peacemaker Season 2 picks up also during June 2025. Because Gunn confirmed that timing during the show's San Diego Comic-Con 2025 panel, this is one of the easiest timelines to keep track of.
Creature Commandos Season 2 (TBD)
This one is a bit of a head-scratcher. The fan timeline slots Creature Commandos Season 2 between Peacemaker Season 2 and Supergirl without a year attached, and while Gunn didn't poke a hole in that placement, he has confirmed the new season won't release until after Man of Tomorrow.
That means its main events could actually happen later, in 2027, if they line up with its real-life release.
Supergirl (2026)
Set a little bit after the events of Superman, Supergirl takes place in 2026, and Gunn has confirmed it falls between Superman and Man of Tomorrow.
Kara Zor-El (Milly Alcock) reconnecting with Superman (David Corenswet) and moving back to Metropolis by the end of the movie is also telling of how fans will see her next in Man of Tomorrow.
Lanterns Episodes 6-8 (2026)
The back half of Lanterns jumps ahead, with episodes 6-8 mainly set in 2026. John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) ends the season as an independent Lantern, now looking over Earth, and he will be back one year later in 2027's Man of Tomorrow.
Man of Tomorrow (2027)
One of Gunn's strengths is keeping his new releases in line with real-world years, and Man of Tomorrow follows suit in 2027. He has said the sequel takes place in "basically real time" after Superman. Maybe a new article at The Daily Planet will help fans narrow down the big DCU event even further.
The People v. Gorilla Grodd (TBD)
The fan timeline leaves The People v. Gorilla Grodd without a year, but 2027 is the safe bet. Gunn has said it comes after Man of Tomorrow in continuity, though he warned that, as a true-crime story, the show "jumps all over the place."
