James Gunn Offers Rebooted DCU Timeline Clarification: ‘It's Basically as the Movies and Shows Come Out’

The rebooted DCU is in full swing, with Superman waiting to get the main event underway in July. So, can fans a Disney+-style official chronological timeline? James Gunn has responded.

As has become apparent in recent months, there are a number of characters set to appear in Superman, Peacemaker Season 2, Supergirl, and Lanterns. It could get confusing, which begs the question: will the DCU will have a chronological timeline similar to what Marvel Studios' MCU has on Disney+?

That’s a question that was put to DCU steward James Gunn on social media, and he responded to say the DCU timeline is, for now at least, as the films and TV shows come out.

"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,' " Gunn explained.

That means this summer’s Superman is set before Peacemaker Season 2, which premieres on HBO Max (yes, they’ve changed the name back) on August 21, 2025. Supergirl comes out on June 26, 2026, but we don’t have a release date for Lanterns. Now we know both are set in-universe after Superman and Peacemaker Season 2. As for in which order, that will depend on when they come out, based on Gunn's latest comments.

Disney+ has a section that orders all the Marvel movies and TV shows in chronological order to create a really helpful and canon timeline. While Gunn’s response here makes it sound like HBO Max won’t have something similar, perhaps in the future when there are a lot of DCU projects to think about, the time will come.

Other upcoming DCU projects known to be in the works include Clayface, which has a September 11, 2026 release date. DCU movie The Authority, however, sounds like it’s in trouble. Gunn has said Waller, a spinoff of Peacemaker, “has had a couple of setbacks, frankly.” However, HBO Max series Booster Gold “is going pretty strong,” and Paradise Lost is "totally, still important and we're working heavily on it," Gunn has said.

As for Swamp Thing, Safran said DC Studios is willing to wait for Logan and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny director James Mangold to be ready to make it.

Speaking of cross-project characters, fans are wondering how the Superman movie is going to deal with all its side characters. The latest trailer showcased everyone from Mister Terrific to The Engineer, as well as newcomer The Hammer of Boravia and the mysterious Ultraman. Guy Gardner is also in Peacemaker Season 2, as is Rick Flag Sr., Maxwell Lord, and Hawkgirl.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.