3 DC Heroes the DCU Has Already Wiped Out of Canon (& When They Might Return)

by

Right now, the DC Universe is moving away from traditional superhero stories. While *Creature Commandos* kicks off the new franchise, it features a team who are more interested in taking lives than saving them. Even the upcoming *Superman* movie doesn’t prioritize making its heroes particularly sympathetic; the Justice League members are largely self-serving and difficult to motivate. Interestingly, this shift isn’t unexpected, given James Gunn’s past work. His previous comic book projects often feature complex characters on personal journeys, and developing those takes time.

James Gunn seems hesitant to include overly virtuous heroes, but he can’t completely exclude them, even if he tries to avoid it in his DC Universe plans. Here are three DC heroes that have been removed from the current storyline, and a look at when they could potentially reappear.

3) Aquaman

Before he was running the whole show at DC Studios, James Gunn really made a name for himself with *The Suicide Squad* and *Peacemaker*. *The Suicide Squad* had a few little nods to the bigger DC universe, but *Peacemaker*? That series threw a huge curveball – seeing the Justice League show up after everything that happened with the Butterflies was a total shocker, and honestly, a really fun moment for a DC fan like me.

As a fan, I was really surprised to see Aquaman helping Peacemaker, especially since Peacemaker was saying such awful things about him! But it looks like that whole team-up is being erased in Season 2 of *Peacemaker*, which is a bummer. And now, with Jason Momoa taking on the role of Lobo, it feels like Aquaman is really on the back burner. I get that James Gunn and the team probably want to give Momoa time to establish himself as Lobo before they even *think* about recasting Aquaman, but it’s still a little disappointing for those of us who enjoyed his take on Arthur Curry.

2) The Flash

James Gunn spoke highly of *The Flash* before its 2023 release. However, the movie didn’t earn enough money to convince DC Studios to include it in their future plans. While *The Flash* briefly appeared in *Peacemaker*, that scene is now considered non-official, leaving the character’s future uncertain.

Now that a Flash movie and a nine-season TV series have already been made, there’s no immediate need to bring Barry Allen back to the movies. Plus, the Flash we’ve seen might not be the one filmmaker James Gunn has in mind for the future of the DC Universe, as Gunn hasn’t shared many details about his plans. However, with other speedsters already established in the DCU, it’s likely we’ll see a super-fast hero on screen again soon.

1) Wonder Woman

It initially appeared Gal Gadot might be the only significant actor from the DCEU to continue in the new DCU. But that hasn’t happened, and several actors are now in contention for roles. James Gunn has acknowledged some of the fans’ casting suggestions, but he’s holding off on announcing who will play Wonder Woman because the script for her movie is still being developed.

Wonder Woman is a key focus for the new DC Universe. The writer of *Supergirl*, Ana Nogueira, is developing a Wonder Woman movie, and a series called *Paradise Lost* – set in Wonder Woman’s homeland of Themyscira – is also in the works at DC Studios. While it might take a while to see the Amazons on screen, they’re expected to play a significant role in the DCU’s future.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/alan-ritchson-dc-universe-casting-characters-not-batman/embed/#

Read More

2025-09-19 23:43