I want to believe most of us grew up with DC or, at the least, have consumed DC content; I know I did. When I was a kid, I used to have a sense of joy calling myself a fan of DC, but this past decade, it’s more than embarrassing watching what DC has turned to, especially in this MCU world we live in.
Warner Bros. and DC executives sometimes forget they sit on a gold mine of IPs, and it’s a shame we have to rotate between Superman and Batman repeatedly. Filmmakers have tried to do justice to these characters, but to the audience, it’s the same story. DC has continuity issues; the DCEU (Extended Universe), DCAU (Animated Universe), or all iterations of the film and TV universe all meet the same fate. CANCELLED.
Don’t get me wrong; DC has some successful projects, but it’s time they do something stable, and this is where James Gunn and Peter Safran come in. As a fan observing from the outside, looking in, it’s fascinating to see that they are finally getting a creative head, and hopefully, they get it right.
On January 31st, 2023, James Gunn announced the start of a new DC, the DCU, a reboot of everything DC on film, TV, and gaming. His vision includes the continuity of Peacemaker, Creature Commandos, a new Superman film, the Lantern shows, and many more. Today is the start of that universe.
What do you need to watch to understand this universe?
To be honest, nothing. If you’ve watched or consumed any DC content, then you should understand what “reboot,” “continuity,” or “canon” is in the context of DC. If not, let me explain. When you reboot a universe, you are not necessarily starting over but moving the story in a better direction, resulting in the issue of continuity. How do you move what we’re following and enjoying? What are you bringing into this universe?
This new universe will include nods to some of the events of the DCEU, such as Peacemaker Season 1, The Suicide Squad, and Blue Beetle.
Peacemaker: James Gunn recently mentioned that the events of Peacemaker remain canon aside from the scene where the Justice League showed up. He explained that, in his DCU, the Justice League is yet to be formed.
The Suicide Squad: [Spoilers] In Creature Commandos, Weasel survived, and Rick Flag Jr. is still dead.
Blue Beetle: I’m still unsure, but with the announcement of a Blue Beetle animated TV show with the same actors, I want to believe the origin of Blue Beetle will remain canon.
The Timeline
The events of Creature Commandos begin two years after The Suicide Squad and just before Superman (Legacy).
Creature Commandos takes the same tone as The Suicide Squad but with monsters. If you’re done with that tone, it’s understandable not to watch Creature Commandos. James Gunn has announced the defining moment to begin the DCU starts with Superman.
Then why start Creature Commandos now?
James Gunn told fans he greenlit Creature Commandos after he became DC Co-CEO. He explained he wrote Creature Commandos after The Suicide Squad. Critics may argue that Creature Commandos, being the same tone as previous Marvel/DC work, will never be greenlit.
Will DCU remain permanent?
Previously, executives and creatives did not always agree on the way forward, which is why most projects get shelved. Giving Warner Bros. Discovery state, if David, James, and Peter continue to agree, the DCU is projected to be a success.
