James Gunn Gives a Fan-Made DCU Connectivity Chart His Seal of Approval Amid the ‘Connected Universe’ Debate

Few questions have followed the DC Universe around as persistently as the one about how it all fits together. Ever since James Gunn and Peter Safran launched the franchise in January 2023, fans have debated whether the shared universe is truly shared, or whether the individual films and shows are simply living side by side. The release of ‘Clayface’ last weekend only turned the volume up.

Gunn took part in that debate himself this week, replying on Threads to a fan who argued that the DCU does not need to build toward anything if its individual pieces work on their own. He said he could not agree more, describing the DCU as an alternate universe where stories can be told from any location or time. He added that he dislikes the idea that individual stories aren’t meaningful unless they lead to something else, and compared the approach to ‘Star Wars’.

The comments drew mixed reactions. Some fans were happy to see standalone stories prioritized, while others argued that audiences were promised a tightly connected universe. Gunn also stressed that none of this means there is no connectivity, and that it would be inaccurate to call the DCU completely disconnected.

That is where a fan-made chart comes in. A DC fan shared a flowchart mapping how each project in the DCU connects, saying it was made so the next time someone asks why the DCU is so disconnected, they can simply be shown this. The chart links posters for ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Clayface’, ‘Superman’, ‘Lanterns’ and ‘Creature Commandos’, among others, with arrows labeled by cameos and references.

Gunn replied with a short, amused note of approval. The fan also acknowledged they had probably missed a few things and invited corrections, which is part of why the exchange resonated. For a debate that has been fairly heated, it was a light moment.

The connections in the chart are real, and they are not hard to find. ‘Superman’ and ‘Supergirl’ are intrinsically connected films with crossover appearances from their title characters, and ‘Lanterns’ features Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, who was a scene-stealer in ‘Superman’. ‘Peacemaker’ season 2 also set up the next Superman film.

That film, ‘Man of Tomorrow’, arrives on July 9, 2027, and is set to bring several characters together. They include Fillion’s Gardner, Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart from ‘Lanterns’, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl and Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle. Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. from ‘Peacemaker’ is also expected to appear.

‘Clayface’ has been the lightning rod. Gunn has said it is set before ‘Superman’, calling it the first DCU film out of chronological order, and that while it is very connected to the wider universe, the standalone story matters most. The character also appeared in ‘Creature Commandos’ season 1, which gives the film a link to the rest of the slate.

Critics have still questioned whether it feels like part of a larger timeline. One analysis argued that someone should be able to see the film because it is a great horror movie, not because of where the character appears later, but also that it feels like a one-off. Gunn has said it will not be the last time audiences see Clayface.

The DCU has had a mixed run so far. ‘Superman’ went over well in 2025, but ‘Supergirl’ was a box office disappointment, and ‘Clayface’ has had a strong start. On television, ‘Creature Commandos’, ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Lanterns’ have kept the universe active between films.

DC Studios has also sorted its projects into canon and Elseworlds. ‘The Batman’ and ‘Joker’ are Elseworlds, while ‘Clayface’ is canon. That distinction helps explain why some fans want clearer rules about what counts as connected.

For now, Gunn’s approach seems to be a mix, with story connections that enhance each project without becoming required reading. The fan chart shows that those links are there for anyone who wants to follow them. Whether that satisfies viewers hoping for a more tightly planned saga is a question the next few releases will answer.

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