In growing his new DC Universe, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn is already encountering an challenge he noticed whereas working with the MCU. Having directed the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise for Marvel Studios earlier than and through his work on new DC initiatives, Gunn has a singular perspective on navigating an expansive cinematic universe.

DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn shared new info on the timeline for Peacemaker Season 2, saying it takes place “a pair years” after the Season 1 finale. Whereas shedding new gentle on the DCU timeline because the franchise continues to increase later this 12 months, DC Studios’ high inventive gave viewers perception into the challenges of navigating a brand new saga.

Talking with Entertainment Weekly, Gunn admitted that he’s deliberately retaining the timeline imprecise for the place Peacemaker matches into the grand DC scheme. He realized the issue in retaining observe of that timeline “in any case [his] time at Marvel,” seeing the challenges in becoming an total universe collectively:

“I see how tough, in any case my time at Marvel, it’s to make issues really match collectively, so it is an unspecified quantity of a few years.”

Whereas Gunn has expertise with a cinematic universe after his work on the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, these motion pictures solely had free threads to the better MCU story. The primary two movies occurred solely months aside, and though Avengers: Endgame impacted the Guardians initiatives launched after it, they nonetheless existed largely individually from the remainder of the MCU and occurred shut to 1 one other.

In the meantime, Gunn is tough at work placing the ending touches on Season 2 of Peacemaker, centering on John Cena’s antihero first established in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Choosing up proper the place Season 1 left off, the story will embody some wild twists and turns (together with a double-dose of John Cena’s Peacemaker) whereas that includes Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks, Steve Agee, Freddie Stroma, and Frank Grillo. Peacemaker Season 2 will debut on HBO Max on August 21, 2025.

How James Gunn Is Navigating the DCU Timeline

Now that Gunn is answerable for an solely new cinematic universe, the place he has to prepare each new film and TV present’s place within the timeline, he already appears to be on high of becoming every little thing into place. This was notably difficult as a result of solely most of Peacemaker Season 1 is canon along with his franchise, however now, he has a recent slate shifting ahead.

In mid-Could 2025, Gunn confirmed that the primary 5 initiatives deliberate for launch in his new DCU will debut in theaters and on HBO Max in the identical order they happen within the universe itself. In the mean time, this consists of every little thing between 2024’s Creature Commandos and 2026’s Supergirl.

Gunn can also be ready to unveil much more confirmed initiatives for the DCU, as solely about half of his Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate has been revealed publicly. Whereas future initiatives will not be launched in the identical order as they arrive within the timeline itself, Gunn and firm will remember to replace followers on what they should know over the approaching years.

Fortunately, because of his intensive expertise with the crimson and blue manufacturers, Gunn appears to have already got a grip on the DCU’s long-term future by way of how he’ll tie his quite a few franchises collectively.