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Credit: DC / Warner Bros.James Gunn’s DC Universe is finally off the ground, and following the release of Superman (2025), things should look promising. The film is the first true test of Gunn and co-DC Studios’ CEO Peter Safran’s shared-universe relaunch, and though it hardly soared at the box office, it still grossed $615 million worldwide against its estimated $225 million budget.
It also received mostly positive reviews from audiences and critics, with many praising David Corenswet’s portrayal as the Man of Steel and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor. Others, however, found it convoluted, bloated, and unfocused for a Superman solo outing. Some have also questioned whether the film is ambitious enough to kickstart an entire cinematic universe.
What To Expect From the New DCU
The film’s reception matters because Superman is intended to be the cornerstone of the DCU; its savior, if you will, following the disastrous DCEU (DC Extended Universe), which started with Zack Snyder’s fan-favorite Man of Steel (2013) and ended with the wishy-washy Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023) just a decade later — not that long when you consider the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which started in 2008, is still going.
Following the new Superman movie is Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow (2026), an adaptation of Tom King’s acclaimed comic book series, with Milly Alcock set to headline as Kara Zor-El (she appears in Superman briefly a in a pre-credits tease).
Warner Bros. has now also announced Superman: Man of Tomorrow for 2027, a sequel with Corenswet and Hoult reprising their roles in an unexpected team-up movie. Beyond that, Gunn has highlighted projects like The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, and Swamp Thing. The film Clayface, which is centered on the Batman villain, is already in production.
Related: All 10 Live-Action ‘Superman’ Movies Ranked Worst To Best
The New DCU’s Canon Makes ZERO Sense
However, the new DCU is already showing cracks. Firstly, the previous, defunct DCEU was at least launched with popular, well-known characters such as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Who really cares about Swamp Thing and Clayface? And why was Superman (2025) stuffed with characters like Guy Gardner/Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Michael Holt/Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl (Isabella Merced)? That’s just one major concern — another is a project that’s already in full swing.
Peacemaker Season 2, a continuation of Gunn’s breakout Max series, has officially been confirmed as part of the DCU canon. The problem? It pulls characters and storylines from the DCEU, blurring the supposed “clean slate” fans were promised with this new continuity.
There’s also last year’s HBO animated series Creature Commandos—which Gunn also insists is canon and, as such, marks the true beginning of the new DCU. The problem there? The series stars Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, reprising her role following appearances in DCEU films such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) and Suicide Squad (2016).
If you think that’s confusing, recently, on Peacemaker: The Official Podcast (via Games Radar), when asked if Aquaman was still canon in the DCU, Gunn replied, “We don’t know. I don’t think Aquaman is canon.” Does this mean they’re making up canon as they go along?
The New DCU Doesn’t Know Its Own Audience
On Reddit and X (Twitter), fans are already pulling their hair out trying to understand what’s canon and what isn’t in the DCU. One points out that, in Peacemaker Season 2, “if something is shown in ‘Previously on Peacemaker‘ then it’s now canon,” while others wonder whether the two Suicide Squad films are now also canon, and if, by extension, other DCEU films like Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) and The Flash (2023), are also canon.
But with Peacemaker Season 2, the problem doesn’t lie entirely with canon — DC fans are also turned off by the show’s graphic violence, crude humor, and adult content, which has left many questioning whether Gunn’s irreverent style is the right fit for the new DCU.
There’s also the exhausted “oddball lineup” or “ragtag team of misfits” formula — Gunn’s signature trademark seen in many of his previous projects, like the Guardians of the Galaxy films and The Suicide Squad (2021). Sure, the Mötley Crüe-thing might work in those films and in Creature Commandos and Peacemaker, but in a Superman movie, of all things?
As for the adult content, one must ask the question: who is this for? Superman (2025) gave us a much lighter version of the Last Son of Krypton than 2013’s brooding Man of Steel, but that universal appeal has already been tarnished by the extremely violent (and inappropriate) Peacemaker Season 2? What demographic is this new DCU catering for?
“Superhero Fatigue” Is Real
While Superman has proven commercially viable, the wider DCU isn’t inspiring confidence with audiences. Between mixed reviews and some serious canon confusion, many fans already feel disenfranchised.
If Gunn can’t balance his offbeat storytelling instincts with the need for broad, unified world-building, Warner Bros.’ rebooted universe may end up even more short-lived than the one it’s supposed to replace.
There’s also no escaping the fact that Superman was expected to perform better at the box office. $615 million is no easy feat in today’s climate, but when Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) — which also hit theaters this summer — managed to pull in just shy of $900 million, one has to question whether Gunn’s film was a) marketed to its full potential, b) had the same reliable universal appeal as Superman films of the past, or c) all of the above.
Do audiences even care about superhero movies and shared universes anymore? The genre has been in financial (and critical) decline over the past few years, and while James Gunn himself has clapped back at the relatively new term “superhero fatigue”, asserting that there’s only “bad movie fatigue,” the numbers — and the audiences — speak for themselves.
Where Can I Watch Superman (2025)?
Superman (2025) is now available to watch at home.
The film stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Isabela Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi as Michael Holt/Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, Anthony Carrigan as Rex Mason/Metamorpho, María Gabriela de Faría as Angela Spica/The Engineer, and Krypto the Dog.
What are you first impressions of James Gunn’s new DC Universe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!