James Gunn reveals the DC Universe's shockingly straightforward timeline

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Here's the correct order for watching Gunn's DC Universe shows and movies

John Cena in Peacemaker on HBO Max
(Image credit: HBO Max)

If you've been wondering the correct order to watch the upcoming slate of DC Universe shows and movies, you're not alone.

"Creature Commandos" has already aired its first season, and both "Superman" and "Peacemaker" season 2 are coming this summer. There are also a few other DCU upcoming shows and movies with confirmed release dates coming after that.

This past Saturday (May 17), a fan asked the DC Studios CEO about the DCU's potentially convoluted timeline. "On HBO Max," asked Threads user @torinhl, "will you create a DCU timeline like how Disney+ has one for the MCU so you can watch in chronological order?"

Whether or not Gunn will ever do such a thing is still a mystery, as he never answered the question's main query. But he did reveal that, lucky for us, the DCU's potentially convoluted timeline isn't actually convoluted at all.

"As of now it's basically as the movies and shows come out," Gunn responded. "Although of course some of these feature flashbacks — 'Creature Commandos,' 'Superman,' 'Peacemaker,' 'Lanterns,' 'Supergirl.'

So there you have it! If you want to watch the DCU shows and movies in chronological order, you can just watch them by release date order. They're currently the same, and according to Gunn's comments, will remain that way until at least the release of "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" in theaters on June 26, 2026.

DC Universe's official chronological timeline

Promotional image from James Gunn's Superman (2025) which shows Superman and Krypto the dog viewing Earth from the moon.

(Image credit: Warner Bros. Discovery)

In case you need a refresher, here's the current chronological timeline of DC shows and movies, based on Gunn's comments:

  1. "The Suicide Squad" (2021)
  2. "Peacemaker" season 1 (2022)
  3. "Creature Commandos" season 1 (2024)
  4. "Superman" (July 11, 2025)
  5. "Peacemaker" season 2 (August 21, 2025)
  6. "Lanterns" (Early 2026)
  7. "Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow" (June 26, 2026)
Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan

Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

Here's what he's been watching lately:

Malcolm McMillan
Malcolm McMillan
Streaming Editor

Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

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