Summary
The Suicide SquadandPeacemakerare still (mostly) canon in the newDCUdespite the other DCEU projects being axed from continuity. Now, James Gunn has offered a reasonable explanation for why some ofThe Suicide SquadandPeacemakerelements are canon but others aren’t.
When Gunn announced his initial slate ofDCUprojects for Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, it was clear that characters from the DCEU’sThe Suicide SquadandPeacemakerwould join the rebooted franchise despite others like Henry Cavill’s Superman and Ben Affleck’s Batman being replaced. However, confusion set in when Gunn made statements like one claimingPeacemakerseason 1 wasn’t DCU canon. Gunn has since explained thatDCEU events will be canon if mentioned in DCU projectsand also clarified thatPeacemakerseason 1 is mostly canon except for the Justice League cameo.
During an interview withColliderto promote the first DCU project,Creature Commandos, Gunn once again explained thatPeacemakerseason 1 is mostly DCU aside fromthe Justice League cameo, butThe Suicide Squadis looser. Gunn used the example of Rick Flag being killed by Peacemaker, noting that it is canon because it was mentioned inCreature Commandosand not because it happened inThe Suicide Squad. So why are some events inThe Suicide SquadandPeacemakercanon but others aren’t? Gunn has an explanation for that as well, saying that he considersThe Suicide SquadandPeacemaker"unreliable memories" of what happened in the DCU:
Well, it’s whatever we mention in anything. [Laughs] Listen,Peacemakeris pretty easy.PeacemakerSeason 1 is basically canon outside of the appearance of the Justice League at the end, which you’ll see something about that inPeacemakerSeason 2.Suicide Squadis probably a little bit looser. We know that Rick Flag Sr. is angry because his son was killed by Peacemaker, so we know that situation happened in the past, we have something to refer to to think of what it might be like that that happened, butthat exists as canon because it was mentioned inCreature Commandos, not necessarily because it existed inSuicide Squad.I think ofSuicide SquadandPeacemakeras pretty unreliable memories of what happened in the DCU.
So, Gunn will seemingly pick and choose what DCEU events are canon based on the DCU’s storyline needs. However, he seemingly doesn’t want to adhere to all DCEU events. Of course, Gunn isn’t only bringing characters and events from his DCEU projects to the DCU.Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle will join the DCUfor an animated series, making him one of the few (if not only) non-Gunn DCEU characters to migrate to the rebooted DC franchise.
Of course, some fans are upset over Gunn’s decision to reboot the DCEU. Not everyone was a fan of the DCEU, but even some of its critics wanted actors likeCavill to get another chance at playing Superman. There are also characters that most fans are fond of, such as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman. Still, Gunn may not want to be bound by what other directors and writers started, which is understandable.
Fans will better understand what to expect from Gunn’s DCU whenCreature Commandospremieres in December and theSupermantrailer (reportedly) releases in the same month. Time will tell if Gunn’s strategy will work.
Peacemakerseason 2 is scheduled to be released on Max in August 2025.
Peacemaker
John Cena stars as James Gunn’s titular Peacemaker, a former member of the Suicide Squad who will go to any lengths to ensure peace. Amanda Waller has once again enlisted him to confront an alien threat. To accomplish his mission, he must collaborate with his team members. Along the way, Peacemaker faces demons from his past and confronts his identity.
