4 DCU Canon Implications of James Gunn’s Huge Justice League Retcon

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Completely overhauling a universe of stories is a huge undertaking. Deciding which characters to focus on and what kind of new storyline to create takes a lot of thought and planning. Usually, time and careful preparation can resolve these challenges, unless something unexpected happens. In the case of the DC Universe, James Gunn seems to be complicating his own reboot by keeping elements of the previous DC Extended Universe. Specifically, he’s choosing to continue the HBO Max series Peacemaker, starring John Cena, because he enjoys working on it and doesn’t want to abandon the show now that he’s in charge.

James Gunn could have simply stated that Peacemaker Season 2 happens on an alternate Earth separate from the Superman universe. However, he went further, meticulously changing key events from Season 1 to accommodate this, even involving the Justice League. Here are four ways Gunn’s major revision of the Justice League’s history impacts the new DC Universe canon.

4) Aquaman Is Down for the Count

The first season of Peacemaker is full of references to the larger DC Universe, which isn’t surprising since characters like Wonder Woman and The Flash are already established. Throughout the season, Peacemaker repeatedly makes fun of Aquaman and his unusual ability to communicate with fish.

The new season of Peacemaker swaps out jokes about Aquaman with ones about Guy Gardner – they’re equally funny, but it effectively removes Aquaman from the show’s storyline. Considering Jason Momoa is now set to play Lobo in the DC Universe, it seems Aquaman might not appear in future projects for a while.

3) Don’t Expect the Justice League to Form Anytime Soon

Now that the old Justice League from the DCEU is gone, James Gunn is introducing a new team called the Justice Gang. This group—funded by Maxwell Lord—includes heroes like Mister Terrific, Green Lantern, and Hawkgirl. Though their tactics aren’t always ideal, they generally succeed in their missions.

Naming the team “Justice” suggests Gunn isn’t hurrying to establish his definitive League. He might allow this current group to play out its natural lifespan before evolving it into a more polished and improved version.

2) Batman May Still Be an Urban Legend

When Peacemaker begins, the Justice League is short-handed. Cyborg and Batman are both unavailable, which didn’t feel significant in the earlier DC Extended Universe because summoning the whole team for small threats seemed excessive. But recent changes to the established storyline make their absence more noticeable.

Even though Batman wasn’t in the final episode, he still felt like a significant presence in Peacemaker thanks to the numerous jokes referencing him. This isn’t the case in Season 2, suggesting that most people in this world aren’t familiar with the Dark Knight. While Doctor Phosphorus does mention Batman in Creature Commandos, it doesn’t mean he’s widely known.

1) Supergirl Could Steal a Spot From a Fan-Favorite

James Gunn has repeatedly stated that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman will be the core heroes of his DC Universe. He’s hinted at Martian Manhunter joining them, but since four heroes don’t make a full team, Gunn is likely planning to add more members in interesting ways when the time is right.

Adding Supergirl to the Justice League suggests she’s ready to risk everything to protect Earth. After the events of the Supergirl series, she might return to Krypton, but this also positions her to potentially replace Aquaman or The Flash as a core member of the League in the future.

Peacemaker Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

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2025-11-18 21:14