James Gunn Gives His Blessing to a Fan’s DCU Connectivity Chart Amid the “Disconnected” Debate

The question of how tightly James Gunn’s DCU fits together has dominated fan conversations all week. With ‘Clayface’ now in theaters and Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ on the horizon, online audiences have been busy comparing the 2 franchises and debating whether DC’s new universe actually feels like one.

The discussion kicked off on Threads, where one user listed the DCU’s foundation so far: ‘Superman’, ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Creature Commandos’, ‘Clayface’ and ‘Lanterns’, and bluntly asked what it was all building toward. Another fan pushed back, arguing Gunn doesn’t need to build toward anything as long as the individual pieces work, and suggesting the MCU had reprogrammed audience expectations.

Gunn agreed with that response, describing the DCU as an alternate universe where stories can be told from any location or time. He said he dislikes the idea that individual stories only matter if they lead somewhere else, pointing to ‘Star Wars’ as a franchise that has worked this way for 50 years, albeit without the same tonal variety.

He was also careful to note that this doesn’t mean the DCU lacks connectivity. Gunn explained that the Superman Saga starts with ‘Superman’, continues into ‘Man of Tomorrow’ and beyond, and includes many characters introduced in other projects.

Now one fan has taken the argument a step further. A user shared a detailed chart on Threads mapping out how each DCU project links to the others, explaining that it was meant as a ready-made answer for anyone asking why the DCU feels so disconnected, while admitting they may have missed a few details.

The graphic connects posters for ‘Superman’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Peacemaker’, ‘Lanterns’, ‘Clayface’, ‘Creature Commandos’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’ with a web of labeled arrows tracking cameos and crossovers. Gunn himself spotted the post and replied with a short, laughing note of approval, a response that quickly racked up hundreds of likes.

The chart backs up a point several outlets have made since Gunn’s comments. ‘Superman’ and ‘Supergirl’ are closely tied films featuring crossover appearances from their title characters, while ‘Lanterns’ brings back Nathan Fillion’s scene-stealing Guy Gardner from ‘Superman’.

The threads tighten further with ‘Man of Tomorrow’, which is set to feature Fillion’s Gardner, Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl and Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle. Gunn has also confirmed that ‘Clayface’ takes place in the DCU before the events of ‘Superman’.

The final trailer for DC’s ‘CLAYFACE’ has been released. In theaters on October 23. https://t.co/ecTMB97Sto
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) September 24, 2026

Not everyone is convinced. Critics have noted that Gunn and Peter Safran launched the DCU in January 2023 as one connected universe spanning film, television, animation and games, and some argue ‘Clayface’ plays more like a one-off than a meaningful piece of a shared timeline.

Others have rallied behind Gunn’s standalone approach, with many fans drawing comparisons to the MCU. Some argued Marvel conditioned audiences to treat movies as extended trailers for the next crossover, while others praised the DCU for focusing on telling a great story first.

The timing makes the debate especially pointed. ‘Clayface’ opened at No. 1 with an estimated $24.5 million, giving Gunn’s argument a commercial boost, even as Safran has acknowledged that ‘Supergirl’ didn’t meet box office expectations.

Gunn has said he wants audiences to see ‘Clayface’ because it’s a fun horror movie in its own right, not because of where the character might pop up 3 movies down the line. If the fan-made chart proves anything, it’s that the connective tissue is already there for those who go looking.