DC Comics fans know one thing about the continuities and stories of their favorite characters: they will be rebooted before too long. While it occurred in an informal way for decades, the publishing company made it an event starting with 1985’s Crisis on Infinite Earths. Since then, large and small reboots have occurred every decade or so with characters changing dramatically and stories disappearing from history. It is, in its way, inevitable.
The various film and television properties tried to recreate the sensation of Crisisonly once — The CW’s Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event in 2019 — but creative reboots occur quite often for the DC characters. 1989’s Batman and its sequels live in its own distinct universe from The Dark Knight Trilogy, and both are separate from the current reality of The Batman. See also the 1980s Superman movies and the DC-inspired TV shows outside of The CW’s Arrowverse.
Meanwhile, in feature films, the first attempt to create a cohesive DC film universe began with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and effectively ended with 2023’s The Flash. Now, a new shared film reality, the DC Cinematic Universe (or DCU) is taking flight with a handful of films and shows already available. Spearheaded by current DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, the idea is to make a reality in which filmmakers and showrunners can create distinct tones and stories while still sharing characters, plot lines, and settings.
Of course, as DC reboots tend to hold onto one or two things from the previous continuity, the new DCU isn’t as simple as “start from the 2025 Superman.” Below is the current and best viewing order to keep up to date as HBO’s Lanterns and James Watkins’ feature film Clayface further expand the new universe. Sure, Peacemaker may have originally been devised for the Snyder reality, but it still has weight in the current state of play. Meanwhile, The Batman, its upcoming sequel, and The Penguin television <a href="https://comicvibe.com/apple-watch-series-12-and-ultra-4-adding-two-new-features-soon/” title=”Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 adding two new features soon”>series exist outside of the DCU. The minutia isn’t so daunting once you see it all laid out and, ultimately, it’s just part of the fun. Also, since it is still early in DCU history, it is quite easy to catch-up on the stories so far. Take a look and get ready for people akin to gods, a few monsters, and plenty of lovable misfits.
Creature Commandos: Season 1
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Critics Consensus: Bearing writer James Gunn’s trademark penchant for kooky humor and lovable characters, Creature Commandos marks an auspicious debut for the DCU.
Starring:Viola Davis, Indira Varma, Frank Grillo, David Harbour
Critics Consensus: Pulling off the heroic feat of fleshing out a dynamic new world while putting its champion’s big, beating heart front and center, this Superman flies high as a Man of Tomorrow grounded in the here and now.
Synopsis: When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man… View Full Synopsis
Starring:David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi
Critics Consensus:Peacemaker‘s second season goes multidimensional while still maintaining a singular focus on emotional stakes, seamlessly transporting this outrageous antihero into a fresh cinematic universe.
Starring:John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji
Critics Consensus: Millie Alcock brings a swagger to Kara Zor-El that’d make Krypton proud in this otherwise familiar origin story, dawning a promising new hero in the DCU who’s still waiting for an adventure that matches her vigor.
Synopsis: When an unexpected and ruthless adversary strikes too close to home, Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, reluctantly joins forces with an unlikely companion on an epic,… View Full Synopsis
Starring:Milly Alcock, Jason Momoa, Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley
Critics Consensus:Lanterns lights the way to a controlled and fantastical escape, in which Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre bring audiences into their world of wonder through fearless performances, grounded writing, and charismatic chemistry.
Starring:Aaron Pierre, Kyle Chandler, Kelly Macdonald, J. Alphonse Nicholson
Critics Consensus: Carving out a unique identity for itself in the DCU while closely resembling a litany of body horror classics, Clayface takes time to get going until it eventually morphs into an icky and satisfying revenge thriller.
Synopsis: “Clayface” unravels one man’s horrifying descent from rising Hollywood star to revenge-filled monster in a story that explores the loss of one’s identity and humanity,… View Full Synopsis
Starring:Tom Rhys Harries, Naomi Ackie, David Dencik, Max Minghella
