The DCU has technically been started with Blue Beetle‘s opening, although the film was conceived and filmed prior to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s official takeover of the DC Film division at Warner Bros. Admirably, Gunn would not let this character, making his late-in-the-game debut at DCEU, hang out to dry and integrated him over into his DCU. Gunn has even established that his new continuity will be a world already full of superheroes. The filmmaker has already announced additional DC characters making their debut along with his new Superman in Superman: Legacy, including Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, and Mister Terrific.
It looks like not only are numerous superheroes present and known in James Gunn’s new universe, but the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker has teased that he and Safran have a DC world map that they are creating to further develop the world-building. Deadline reports that Gunn has taken to Threads as the director continues to engage directly with fans. A user named joeymisfit wrote, “Here’s a question I think your more likely to answer. Have you given any thought to the lay of the land in the DCU? Where the different cities that the heroes operate are on a map. Will they all be right next to each other? Or spread out across the country like the source material? DC has some great cities with their own identities. I hope we get to see that.” Gunn simply responded with, “We are creating an incredibly detailed world map.”
Additionally, a fan would reach out to Gunn with a request for his Peacemaker series. A user named airry85 posted, “I would like some from the cast of GotG to guest star in the next season of PeaceMaker, as themselves, like Chris Pratt being himself or Pom herself..@jamesgunn.” Cryptically, Gunn would not answer with a yes or a no, but seemingly with an explanation that implies he has something else in mind for Chris Pratt and Pom Klementieff in the universe. His response states, “There are reasons I wouldn’t want either of those actors to play themselves in the DCU!”