James Gunn recently spoke about UDC canon and finally made me truly understand the upcoming franchise for the first time. Ever since Marvel Studios launched the most successful film franchise of all time, questions about how the comic book movies connected, if at all, have been rampant. DC only adhered to the cinematic universe formula five years later with the DCEU Man of Steel in 2013, but the established trope caused some audiences to question how and if Christian Bale’s Batman would be included in this universe, for example.
The confusion has been exacerbated by the Elseworlds projects surrounding major DCEU productions. 2019 Clownfor example, it was released at the height of the DCEU, when the DCEU’s Joker, played by Jared Leto, was already established three years earlier. Likewise, Matt Reeves Batman the trilogy will be released alongside the DCU films, which will feature its own version of Batman and the surrounding characters. The DCU, in turn, is a rebooted cinematic universe that will, however, feature characters from the now-defunct DCEU.
The DCU launches with Creature Commands on December 5, 2024. This animated show features Amanda Waller, Weasel, and John Economos – all DCEU carryovers The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. This alone makes me wonder where one franchise ends and another begins, as the DCU will apparently keep certain aspects of the DCEU as canon. Luckily, James Gunn’s recent comments have made it much easier to stay up to date on the hookups.
DCEU events become canon when they are mentioned in the DCU
James Gunn was at this year’s New York Comic Con, where he addressed the inevitable confusion this unusual plan will generate. Gunn’s presence with the cast of Creature Commands after all, it made this a particularly pertinent question to address, thanks to the presence of those reprized roles from the DCEU. Happily, Gunn’s response to the confusion cleared everything up for meas he stated:
We learned that other things that happened in the past in other media still happened. There are references to things that happened in the past. And these references become canon in the DCU because we mention them.
Simply put, the DCU will let us know which aspects of the DCEU remain canon, stating them as and when necessary. Creature Commands may well be the first to do so, perhaps making up for the fact that Weasel survived his apparent drowning in the mid-credits scene by The Suicide Squad. Whatever the case, Gunn seems to suggest that audiences don’t need to worry about one of the most worrying aspects of this shift to new narratives in the DCU.
James Gunn’s DCEU Explanation for DCU Proves It Will Avoid the Franchise’s Worst Fears
There will be no mandatory viewing in the DCEU
I’m reading Gunn’s comments as he suggests this DCU events may nod to past events, but you won’t need to view them to understand the DCU. This is a good sign for audiences, whether they’re caught up on all the DCEU films or not. It looks like Amanda Waller and her fellow DCEU stars could be well set up again in the DCU, starting with Creature Commandswithout doing Suicide Squad or The Suicide Squad homework required. Mentions of past events will act as Easter eggs for those in the know.
It will, of course, be impossible to avoid certain issues being raised. While I’m happy for Viola Davis to keep the role of Amanda Waller, her reprisal will still make it feel like the entire movie The Suicide Squad It’s DCU canon. Still, it’s good to hear James Gunn’s assurances that it’s unnecessary to salvage fragments of the DCEU in preparation for the new franchise, thus making it the UDC it’s truly a fresh start that simply capitalizes on the best aspects of its predecessor.
Upcoming DC film releases