DC Universe Timeline Revealed (and It’s So Much Simpler Than the MCU)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is more complicated than ever with split timelines, multiverse travel, and staggered releases of movies and TV shows, so it’s a great itme for the DCU to keep it simple. The new comic book movie competitor on the scene has one series out so far, with its big scree debut Superman landing on July 11th. In a post on Threads this weekend, DC Studios executive James Gunn said that, for now, DCU titles are being released in chronological order. That means fans don’t need to worry about timelines and viewing orders just yet, and they won’t have to for the foreseeable future.

A fan asked Gunn if the in-house streamer for DC’s parent company, HBO Max, might implement a DCU timeline similar to the “Collections” available for MCU movies on Disney+. “As of now it’s basically as the movies and shows come out – although of course some of these feature flashbacks,” Gunn responded. He then listed not only Creature Commandos and Superman, but three releases that will follow — Peacemaker Season 2 this August, Lanterns Season 1 sometime early next year, and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow in June of 2026.

Fans were glad to hear this, not only because it simplifies the viewing experience but it helps immensely with making predictions and fan theories. For the next year or so, we know we can assume each title follows the last one chronologically, meaning the events of the last title could impact the next one. It also reduces the likelihood of retcons and other tricky storytelling.

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By comparison, the MCU has had a slightly complicated viewing order from the start. It kicked off with Iron Man in a roughly contemporary setting, then jumped back several decades for Captain America: The First Avenger, which was set during World War II. The movies follow one after another for a while from there, but that raises questions sometimes too. For example, fans question how it took so long for Steve Rogers and Bucky to encounter one another in the present.

Fans are left to debate the best viewing order for these movies — should a re-watch start with Iron Man or The First Avenger. for example. For the most part, fans know these are inconsequential questions, and these movies are designed to work well on their own. The bigger issue is the inclusion of TV shows, and the question of which ones are essential to understand the broader story.

The DCU should have an easy time hooking new viewers with its simple, straightforward strategy, but if it continues long enough, we should expect its comic book source material to make the timeline just as convoluted as the MCU. Superman hits theaters on July 11th in the U.S.