James Gunn Reveals DCU Timeline Plan & Defends Changing The DCU’s Original Slate

As the DC Universe rounds into shape, one thing James Gunn is striving for is to ensure each movie and TV show stands on its own, allowing fans to jump in at any point and easily follow the story. Still, since the DCU is a shared universe, there is an overarching plan in place to tell a larger narrative over the course of several years. Gunn laid out the initial concept for the DCU’s first era, “Gods and Monsters,” a couple years ago, announcing various projects for the big and small screens. Some things have changed since that initial announcement, which stems from Gunn’s commitment to quality as things come into greater focus.

During an appearance on the podcast 2 Bears, 1 Cave, Gunn shared how long it should take for this larger story to come to fruition and explained why he’s remaining flexible when plotting out a release schedule. “It’s like a decade, maybe a little less. It’s very loose too,” he said. “You have to be careful because there were certain projects that were part of that plan – because my other rule is that I’m not going to greenlight anything without having a screenplay that I love. And there were other things that haven’t worked yet. You have to be able and willing to have the big picture in mind but also be able to shift anytime you need to. So the pinpoints are the same but some of the specifics have changed.”

DC Studios Is Favoring Quality Over Quantity

Perhaps the most clear-cut example of how the specifics can change at DC is the recent announcement of the film Man of Tomorrow, the Superman follow-up Gunn is writing and directing. That movie was not part of the original “Gods and Monsters” announcement, but now it’s scheduled to premiere in July 2027. Meanwhile, previously revealed projects like The Authority, Waller, and The Brave and the Bold (among others) remain undated. While those titles are still in development, Man of Tomorrow came together quicker, so Gunn tweaked the overall plan.

It’s a good sign for the DCU’s long-term viability that Gunn and Co. are not dead set on forcing a particular lineup of films and shows through for arbitrary reasons. As we’ve seen, some projects have been brewing longer than others, and rushing something to make a predetermined release date can end poorly. Especially in the early stages of the DCU, it’s vital for each project to be of high quality, helping generate excitement for not just DC’s present but also its future. It’s telling that DC Studios is reportedly targeting just 1-2 theatrical releases per year, a level of output that clearly prioritizes quality over quantity. Rather than flooding the marketplace with an abundance of titles (something that backfired for Marvel Studios), Gunn only wants the best of the best to see the light of day.

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DC’s loose approach highlights a difference between it and Marvel. There have been changes to Marvel Cinematic Universe slates over the years (see: the pivot away from the Kang storyline), but the franchise’s phases have felt tighter than Gunn’s strategy at DC. That’s likely because there was a greater sense of interconnectivity between Marvel movies — especially as the Infinity Saga built up to the epic conclusion of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Even the projects that largely stood on their own helped lay the foundation for something that factored into the overarching story. In contrast, some DCU titles may not do much to advance the overarching, decade-long narrative. When teasing the “big story” at the heart of the franchise, Gunn said it continues with Man of Tomorrow, implying that perhaps Supergirl and Clayface function more as standalone vehicles.

Being loose with things also provides the advantage of making DC a filmmaker friendly sandbox. Gunn wasn’t considering making Clayface until Mike Flanagan pitched it to him, and now that’s shaping up to be one of the most intriguing genre titles of 2026 — an R-rated body horror movie that doubles as audiences’ introduction to the DCU’s Gotham City. If Flanagan can come in and get Clayface off the ground, it means any creative with an idea can at least toss it out to Gunn and see what happens. It’ll be interesting to see how DC’s plan evolves over the next decade, but it sounds like Gunn is keeping himself open to any and all possibilities.

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