DC Boss James Gunn Confirms Two Movies Aren’t Canon in the DCU: “I Hate It!”

by

In October 2022, after the release of Dwayne Johnson’s film “Black Adam,” Warner Bros. Discovery appointed James Gunn, director of “The Suicide Squad,” and Peter Safran, producer of “Aquaman” and “Shazam!,” as co-chairmen and co-CEOs for a newly established DC Studios. This move effectively replaced the previous leadership of DC Films and president Walter Hamada. This announcement came at a time when both Johnson and Gunn were individually planning their respective versions of Superman, with Johnson proposing a “Black Adam vs. Superman” movie featuring Henry Cavill’s return as the Man of Steel in the DCEU. Interestingly, Gunn found out about this potential clash of ideas on the very same day he finalized his deal to reboot Superman and the DC Universe.

During a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Gunn stated that on the day our agreement ended, unexpectedly they announced Henry’s return. I was puzzled, thinking ‘What’s happening here? We knew he was to come in and play Superman.’ So it felt unfair to Cavill, and it was truly disappointing.

As a devoted film enthusiast, I’ll put it this way: The landscape of DC was rather empty during that period, and there were some individuals eager to contribute their visions. However, diplomatically speaking, they were attempting to assert their influence within DC, which never aligned with David Zaslav’s plans.

It appears that Dwayne Hintze (also known as “The Rock”) suggested or implied that one of the individuals was Johnson (possibly Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, or Beau Flynn) in relation to the situation where they attempted to take control during a power gap at DC Studios. This is based on reports from 2022 indicating that Johnson, along with other Black Adam producers, tried to override Hamada’s decision regarding Henry Cavill’s Superman cameo.

In the same year, actress Jennifer Holland, known for her roles in “The Suicide Squad” and “Peacemaker” (who is also Gunn’s wife), reappeared as Emilia Harcourt in “Black Adam” and later in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” making a post-credits scene appearance alongside Steve Agee’s John Economos. Both characters are part of the newly revamped DCU, which is the interconnected universe led by Gunn that currently includes “Creature Commandos,” “Superman,” and the second season of “Peacemaker,” in which Holland and Agee share roles with John Cena. However, it’s important to note that neither “Black Adam” nor the “Shazam” sequel fall within the canon of this DCU, as confirmed by the head of DC.

In a recent interview with Den of Geek, Gunn expressed his dislike for stories or events not considered ‘canonical’ in his upcoming HBO Max series, set to return on August 21st. To help clarify what is and isn’t part of the DC Universe, Gunn will be co-hosting a podcast with Holland and Agee called “Peacemaker”. Gunn emphasized that unless events from the old DCEU (DC Extended Universe) are explicitly mentioned to have occurred, they are not considered canonical.

In Peacemaker season 2, we reference some elements from the old universe, though for now, these aren’t considered official or established (canon). Most of what was presented in season 1, however, is officially recognized (canon), and season 2 will clarify what is or isn’t canon.

The Justice League, who have not officially appeared yet according to Gunn’s statement from last year, made a season-ending cameo with Jason Momoa portraying Aquaman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, and stand-ins for Superman (played by Henry Cavill) and Wonder Woman (portrayed by Gal Gadot).

Regarding a potential “Black Adam 2”, Johnson stated in 2023 that a follow-up had been canceled due to a “whirlpool of new management”. He mentioned then that there were numerous changes in management at DC, and “Black Adam” was one of the films that found itself ensnared within this whirlwind of fresh leadership.

When a company, particularly one that’s publicly traded and undergoes frequent leadership changes, new decision-makers may make choices that you might not align with philosophically, as Johnson explained about his superhero project, which struggled to surpass $400 million globally in 2022. The sequel to Shazam!, starring Zachary Levi, underperformed significantly, earning only $134 million worldwide, alongside fellow failures like Blue Beetle and The Flash in 2023.

Simultaneously, Gunn’s “Superman” movie, the initial production by DC Studios, has garnered an impressive $416 million since its release on July 11. With projections pointing towards further success, this superhero flick is expected to surpass a global box office total of $600 million.

Peacemaker season 2 premieres August 21 on HBO Max.

Read More

2025-07-23 02:10