The DC Universe is expanding faster than ever, and James Gunn is right at the center of it all. With Chapter 1: “Gods and Monsters” unfolding across film and television, fans have been eagerly awaiting signs of what’s next.
And now, Gunn has confirmed that three new projects, a pair of films and one TV series, are inching closer to official approval.
James Gunn Teases Two New DCU Movies And A Series
In a new interview with GQ, the DC Studios co-CEO opened up about the state of the DCU slate. While he stopped short of revealing titles, his comments were enough to spark serious speculation. “Right now, there’s actually two really cool film scripts that I’m hoping to take to the next level that we have general plans for, and I’m excited about both of those. And then I’m excited about one TV project in particular.”
Related: James Gunn Explains Why He Changed Superman’s Parents’ Legacy In His DC Reboot
“I don’t know why we’re not greenlighted on that already; it’s just figuring out the budget,” Gunn explained. That means at least three new DCU stories are on deck, and Gunn sounds more than ready to get them rolling. The confirmation comes as the DCU is still in its early stages, with ‘Superman’ leading the charge. With production on ‘Man of Tomorrow’ set for April, Gunn’s focus is locked in. However, that hasn’t stopped development on other titles behind the scenes.
Projects like ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’, ‘Lanterns’, and ‘The Brave and the Bold’ are all in motion, and these new scripts could widen that slate even further. Even though Gunn didn’t name the films, fans have plenty to speculate about. However, ‘The Brave and the Bold’ still remains one of the biggest unanswered questions on the slate. One of these mystery scripts could even be tied to characters that weren’t in the original announcement back in January 2023.
The TV side of the DCU also continues to evolve. Gunn says one new series is just waiting for a final budget decision before getting the green light. Beyond that, the near future of the DCU involves several key milestones. ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 is currently airing on Max with two episodes left. ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ is set for a June 2026 premiere. ‘Lanterns’ is expected to debut next year, though an exact date hasn’t been announced.
James Gunn Clears The Air On ‘The Suicide Squad’s DCU Canon Status
While Gunn’s revelations about the future made headlines, his comments about the past stirred up a whole different conversation, particularly around the canonicity of ‘The Suicide Squad’ and its place in the new DCU. Fans have been puzzled for months, especially as characters introduced in the 2021 film continue to appear in new DCU projects. Was Gunn’s film retroactively folded into the new continuity? Or does it exist in that strange space between what counts and what doesn’t?
In case you missed it: James Gunn Confirms DCU’s ‘The Brave And The Bold’ Release Window
Gunn finally offered a clear answer. “The Suicide Squad is a difficult thing because it is not DCU,” he explained during an interview with THR. “But there aren’t too many things in it that aren’t DCU. Unlike Peacemaker season one, which is completely DCU, besides the ending and one or two mentions of different things, the Suicide Squad brings up more questions than answers.” In other words, the DCU isn’t erasing ‘The Suicide Squad’, but it’s not officially canon either.
Instead, Gunn refers to it as “an imperfect memory.” That metaphor cleverly hints at a soft continuity approach. He reinforced that ‘Creature Commandos’ onward is 100% DCU canon. ‘Peacemaker’ Season 1 is mostly canon, aside from the Justice League cameo and a few references. However, ‘The Suicide Squad’ exists in a gray zone, useful but not definitive. Gunn also acknowledged the larger truth: canon only matters when it needs to. “The truth is that canon doesn’t matter… until, of course, it does,” he said.
