“Superman” is the first film entry in James Gunn’s new onscreen DC Universe, laying the groundwork for more crossovers in the future. But the ones that happen in this movie do beg the question: is “Superman” actually connected to past DC Movies, or what?
There are multiple cameos in the film, but the two biggest ones come in the form of John Cena’s Peacemaker, and Milly Alcock’s Supergirl. The latter of those two was previously announced, and obviously sets up her solo outing, set to hit theaters next year. (Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord also gets a brief appearance, and is set for “Supergirl” as well).
But Peacemaker’s presence raises a few questions, given he first appeared in “The Suicide Squad,” which is decidedly not part of the DCU. Eagle-eyed fans may have also spotted Tinashe Kajese, reprising her role from previous DC projects including “The Suicide Squad” as Florence Crawley.
So, between her and Peacemaker showing up, does that mean “Superman” actually ties back to projects technically created before the DCU?
Well, kind of. According to James Gunn, the first season of “Peacemaker” is “basically canon, outside of the appearance of the Justice League at the end.” When asked by a fan online whether “The Suicide Squad” is also part of the new DCU canon earlier this year, Gunn explained further.
“Long answer: Only CC forward is pure canon,” he wrote. “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.”
For those unfamiliar, “CC” stands for “Creature Commandos,” the first show from Gunn officially in the DCU. It’s worth noting that Rick Flag, voiced by Frank Grillo in the animated series, appears in live action in “Superman” (also played by Frank Grillo).
His son was killed by Peacemaker in “The Suicide Squad,” and it seems that at least that event remains true in “Superman,” though it’s never brought up explicitly.
It’s a bit hard to keep track already, but we can say with certainty that, going forward, Gunn’s DCU projects definitely will connect.
“Superman” is in theaters everywhere now.