James Gunn has explained how The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker fit into the new DC Universe (DCU) after he and Peter Safran took over. With the release of Creature Commandos, the first official project in this new DCU, Gunn highlighted some differences between his earlier films and the current storyline.
Creature Commandos is now the starting point for what counts as official DCU canon. Future projects, including Gunn’s upcoming Superman film, will follow this timeline. Gunn specified that only projects released after Creature Commandos are considered part of the new canon. While Peacemaker largely fits into the new DCU, some details within it, especially regarding how the Justice League is portrayed, do not match the new continuity.
Gunn said, “Short answer: Only Creature Commandos forward is pure canon. For instance, Rick Flag Jr was killed because we heard Rick Flag Sr talking about it in Creature Commandos, not because we saw it in The Suicide Squad. Long answer: Only CC forward is pure canon; Peacemaker is almost entirely consistent with that canon other than the Justice League; The Suicide Squad has a lot of consistencies but I think of it as an imperfect memory.”
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The Suicide Squad, which came out before the DCU reboot, is seen as an “imperfect memory” in the new canon. This means that while some characters and events from The Suicide Squad might still be referenced, the overall story isn’t followed strictly. For instance, the fate of Rick Flag Jr. in Creature Commandos is the official version now, ignoring his portrayal in The Suicide Squad.
This clarification changes how certain characters and events are viewed in the new continuity. Even though characters like Amanda Waller and Peacemaker will appear in other DCU projects, the events of The Suicide Squad aren’t necessarily seen as definitive. The outcomes for characters like Captain Boomerang, Mongal, and The Detachable Kid are still unclear, and if they appear again, they might be played by different actors.
Creature Commandos, an animated series, is set to debut in December 2024, featuring a cast that includes Indira Varma, Sean Gunn, Alan Tudyk, Zoë Chao, David Harbour, Frank Grillo, Maria Bakalova, Anya Chalotra, and Viola Davis. It will be available to stream on Max, along with Peacemaker Season 1 and The Suicide Squad. Peacemaker Season 2 is expected to come out in August, just after Gunn’s Superman film hits theaters in July 2025.
This approach highlights the new DCU’s goal of creating a clear and consistent story going forward while also recognizing some elements from the older films. The plan seems to involve selectively integrating aspects from the earlier DC Extended Universe (DCEU) into the new storyline.
Source: Variety
