James Gunn Sets New DC Universe Release With Major Franchise Canon Implications

Published Oct 29, 2026, 9:23 AM EDT Nick Bythrow is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant. He has been writing for the site since September 2022. He graduated from Hampshire College in 2022, where he triple majored in Journalism, Communications, and Media Studies. When he's not writing about TV and movies for ScreenRant and his blog, Frayed Branches, Nick is penning speculative fiction and poetry on Amazon. He lives outside Boston, Massachusetts. Sign in to your ScreenRant account James Gunn is about to clarify the DC Universe's canon. The brains behind the ongoing DCU has confirmed a new release that will have major implications on the franchise's canon into the foreseeable future. The DCU's high-profile releases have helped define its first two years. Superman and Supergirl have made up the core Kyrptonian focus of the franchise's big-screen storyline, while Clayface brought Gotham into the fold for the first time in a film focused on supervillain body horror. But there's one movie referenced across the DCU that hasn't been fully canonized into the franchise: 2021's The Suicide Squad, which Gunn originally filmed for the now-defunct DC Extended Universe. Now, Gunn has confirmed the release of a forthcoming podcast special titled The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? that will reveal which details from his 2021 movie The Suicide Squad are still canon to the ongoing DCU. Gunn himself will be speaking on the podcast alongside co-hosts Jennifer Holland and Steve Agee to determine which elements of The Suicide Squad are still canon to the DCU. This will include a discussion about the movie, behind-the-scenes facts, and messages from stars of the film. Discussions about how much of The Suicide Squad is canon have been brewing since before the new DCU officially began. Gunn originally filmed the movie as part of the previous DCEU, which was rebooted by his latest Superman movie. However, some elements of The Suicide Squad's story are still considered canon to the universe. From John Cena's cameo as Peacemaker in Superman to John Stewart referencing the events of the movie outright in Lanterns, it's been confusing as to how canon the movie is to the new universe. Gunn has previously stated there are some parts of the movie that remain canon to the franchise, including the death of Rick Flag Jr. at the hands of Peacemaker, alongside Weasel's survival, which allowed him to appear in Creature Commandos. But there are other elements of the movie that aren't canon, either, since it's expected characters like Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn will be recast once introduced in the DCU. For now, it's unclear how much is still relevant, and how much can be ignored. This podcast aims to correct any notions about the film's canon to the larger DCU by directly addressing what's still relevant to the universe, and what viewers can safely ignore. Given the movie's ties to the DCEU through being a sequel to 2016's Suicide Squad, it makes sense as to why Gunn's podcast needs to happen. Newer DC movies and shows have freely referenced the events of the movie, despite its full canon approach not being entirely known. Whatever the case may be, the podcast episode seems poised to address any and all fan concerns about The Suicide Squad's canon, and how much of it is really important to the new universe Gunn has built. This will likely include addressing the references laced throughout various projects of the universe so far, while also emphasizing what changes could be considered as well. Either way, it appears the DCU is finally getting its clarification moment to ensure everyone is on the same page about the film. Release Date August 6, 2021 Runtime 132 minutes Director James Gunn