7 Arrowverse Characters That Should Join James Gunn’s DCU

James Gunn’s DC Universe has a lot of work to do to right the ship. The big-screen franchise that it’s following, the DC Extended Universe, failed to find its footing, crashing and burning after asking Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice to do too much and releasing an uneven cut of Justice League in theaters. There were some salvageable parts of the DCEU, though, including Amanda Waller and Peacemaker, a character Gunn introduced in The Suicide Squad that got enough praise to earn his own spinoff show. However, Peacemaker isn’t the only DC property to find success in recent memory.

The Arrowverse, which ran from 2012 to 2023, consisted of six shows and quite a few seasons of television. Not every episode was a winner, but the franchise had its fair share of great characters, some of whom deserve a chance to thrive in the DCU.

1) The Flash

The Arrowverse’s Barry Allen runs circles around the DCEU’s version, getting a complete arc that sees him go from hesitant hero to multiverse protector. However, the show around him doesn’t do him any favors with its weak storytelling. Continuing Barry’s story in the DCU would allow the character to be at the center of exciting adventures once again without the fear of everything getting bogged down by melodrama.

2) Constantine

Matt Ryan’s John Constantine already survived one cancellation when his NBC show got the ax. The character made the jump to the Arrowverse and thrived in Legends of Tomorrow, which wasn’t afraid to get wacky. Ryan continued to play the character in animated projects, proving that he’s the first person Gunn and Co. should call when they’re ready to bring the character back to live-action.

3) Ray Palmer

Another Legend that shows a fair share of promise is Ray Palmer, aka the Atom. After being a rival of Oliver Queen on Arrow, he joins the Waverider and becomes a crucial part of keeping chaos away from the timeline. The DCU is already bringing in genius-level characters like Mister Terrific, and Ray has all the makings of another great one on the big screen. It also doesn’t hurt that Ray’s actor, Brandon Routh, already has experience playing DC characters in big-budget movies.

4) Deathstroke

The Arrowverse’s heroes get all the love, but the franchise has plenty of great villains as well. One of the more notable is Deathstroke, who starts out as a massive thorn in Oliver’s side before transitioning to an anti-hero role. With the DCEU swinging and missing with its take on Slade Wilson, the DCU would do well to bring back a character that already works.

[RELATED – James Gunn Teases “Really Big” DC Cameo In Peacemaker Season 2 (But Who Could It Be?)]

5) Kate Kane

Kate Kane’s time in the Arrowverse is controversial, to say the least. While she comes out of the gate on fire during the “Elseworlds” crossover, behind-the-scenes issues put her on the sidelines after Season 1 of her solo series. Kate’s story still has plenty of potential, though, and there can never be enough vigilantes in Gotham.

6) Reverse-Flash

There are a couple of versions of Reverse-Flash in the Arrowverse, but Tom Cavanagh’s iteration is one of the most menacing villains in DC history. He’s relentless and always pushes Barry to the edge during their confrontations. The DCU is sure to touch on the origins of Flash’s powers at some point, and when it does, there’s no one better than Cavanagh to help bring the darker portions of the story to life.

7) Jesse Quick

Jesse Quick may seem like any other speedster, but her story in the Arrowverse is pretty heartbreaking. She fights to get back to her father, and after they reunite, the Anti-Monitor destroys their reality. Jesse never gets another chance in the Arrowverse, which is a shame because her attitude stands out in a show full of people who can run fast. Gunn and his colleagues could do wonders for Jesse’s character if they brought her into the fold.

The Arrowverse shows are streaming on Netflix.

Do you think these Arrowverse characters should appear in James Gunn’s DCU? Who else do you think belongs on this list? Let us know in the comments below!