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As the DCU (DC Universe) gears up for the release of Superman in July, fans are wondering about the timeline of the new DC film franchise. For the uninitiated, timeline in this context refers to the continuity of the entire franchise. It seems that James Gunn's recent comments to a fan's query seem to suggest that following the continuity and timeline of the DC Universe will follow a linear path.
This means that the DCU timeline and continuity will follow the release chronology. This is different than the MCU because different projects from the Marvel Cinematic Universe are set in different times. For example, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) is set only a few months after the first movie, despite releasing three years after the first Guardians of the Galaxy.
This difference, in my opinion, simplifies the DCU continuity, and James Gunn's recent comments seem to suggest that.
What did James Gunn say about the DCU continuity and timeline?
May 18, 2025, we finally learned the DCU chronology from the DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn. He revealed the DC Universe chronology when a fan on Threads asked:
"On HBO Max will you create a DCU timeline like how Disney+ has one for the MCU so you can watch in chronological order?"
James Gunn had a surprising answer to this interesting question. His response to this question read:
"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."
This simple timeline would mean that the events of Superman, releasing this July, will unfold after the first season of Creature Commandos. It is not surprising, considering Gunn hinted at something similar in the past. James Gunn explained his approach in building the DCU like this in his December 2024 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast:
"I don't want everything to look the same all the time. I think the audience is smart enough to say, 'Oh yeah, this is all connected but, also, come on.' And I think that too often people get a little bit too strict about canon, and freaked out."
Gunn continued:
"I dealt with it at Marvel. They showed the Infinity Gauntlet early, in Thor or something. You saw it. [But] they retrofitted it. They retrofitted those other things to be Infinity Stones because that was never written until [Guardians of the Galaxy]. So it's like, I'm used to that stuff. I think that it's okay. You've got to be a little bit loose with it."
Gunn later told Happy Sad Confused podcast's Josh Horowitz this regarding his approach to the DCU continuity:
"This is about a connected universe. We're world building. We're not story building. We're not writing one story that has a beginning, middle, and end. We're creating a universe in which people can go and join into this universe and experience it. It is much more like Star Wars than Marvel in that respect."
This means that as a viewer, you don't have to remember the timeline and continuity while watching a DCU project, movie, or show.
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