Summary

  • James Gunn's first DC project, The Suicide Squad, will remain canon in the new DCU and will include returning characters like Amanda Waller and members of Team Peacemaker.
  • The canon status of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1 in relation to the DCU is unclear, as some elements may be altered while the core story and characters remain the same.
  • The connection of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn to the DCU and which of her film appearances will remain canon is uncertain, with Birds of Prey potentially fitting into the new franchise while Suicide Squad may be overwritten.

James Gunn has announced the first projects of his new DCU, and shed light on how some DCEU movies will be fitting into the new franchise. While Gunn's most exciting announcements included several films and HBO Max TV shows, some of the most interesting update have regarded the status of DCEU projects that will be carrying on in some ways into the DCU despite initially being part of the DCEU movie timeline.

This is especially useful given the simultaneous assertions that the upcoming DCU releases would mark a clean slate and that DCEU characters would be appearing in the DCU have proved confusing for audiences, and provoked a range of questions, especially regarding some of the DCEU's more beloved figures. Nevertheless, Gunn and Safran have always maintained that certain elements of the DCEU will remain in their rebooted franchise - a claim which they seem to have delivered on based on follow-up statements that have come since about the DCU.

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The Suicide Squad

Semi-Canon

The film that began Gunn's relationship with DC was The Suicide Squad, a pseudo-sequel turned soft reboot of 2016's poorly received Suicide Squad. It would appear that Gunn's first DC project will remain canon following the announcement of Waller, which will see Viola Davis return as Amanda Waller following her multiple appearances in the DCEU. The project is also confirmed to include the members of Team Peacemaker, most of whom were introduced in The Suicide Squad. As such, it seems a safe bet that all of James Gunn's prior DC projects, including Peacemaker, will remain canon when the DCEU is converted into the DCU over the next several years.

That said, it is worth taking into account how canon The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1 will be - especially given the show closes with appearances from the Justice League, complete with the likes of Jason Momoa's Aquaman, who is unlikely to remain in the role into the DCU, given that a report from Variety stated that none of the DCEU hero team are set to reprise their roles. Peter Safran's statement that "The good news is, if you've seen nothing that we've done before, you can watch 'Superman Legacy,' you can watch 'Creature Commandos,' you can watch 'Peacemaker' season 2, and you can watch 'Blue Beetle.'" supports the idea of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1 likely being liminally canon, in that the characters and core story elements will remain the same, but some elements may be otherwise altered.

Blue Beetle

Semi-Canon

Jaime Reyes flying with his hands out in Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle is perhaps the most complicated DCEU movie in terms of how it connects to the DCU canon. Initially, it appeared the Blue Beetle would be the first-ever DCU movie, as the director appeared to confirm as much in interview, and the young Jamie Reyes was described as a part of DCU. However, it would later be revealed that while Blue Beetle the hero will be part of the DCU, the movie remains part of the DCEU, with Superman: Legacy instead being the first canon DCU film as per James Gunn.

Wonder Woman 3 was also temporarily thought to be an impending part of the DCU canon, but the project has since been canceled.

Birds Of Prey

Unconfirmed (May Be Semi-Canon)

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) leaning on a desk in Birds of Prey.

The Suicide Squad also connects to several DCEU movies, mostly through Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn - who will be DCU canon if Peacemaker's The Suicide Squad backstory is kept for the new era. While Robbie's character remains one of the DCEU's biggest successes and will therefore likely also remain in the DCU, it is unclear as of yet whether this will be definite, or whether her final appearance will be The Suicide Squad.

Similarly, even if this iteration of Quinn returns, it's not clear which of her film appearances will remain canon. Birds of Prey, for example, could seamlessly fit into the DCU without too many ensuing plotholes and, being an essential part of Harley Quinn's story, would go a long way in establishing her character in the new franchise. Suicide Squad, however, will likely be overwritten despite it originating Robbie's version of Harley Quinn, especially given the film's mixed reception and closer ties to DCEU heroes like Ben Affleck's Batman.

Key Release Dates