The DCU began in an unexpected way in 2024. Where past cinematic universes began, big feature films focused on major IP characters like Iron Man, Superman, or Godzilla. James Gunn decided to start his new shared universe with an animated mature-rated television series based on a little-known property, Creature Commandos. The series has already gotten positive reviews from critics and fans, and it seems like the franchise is off to a good start. In particular, the series is filled with hints at references to the larger DC Universe that Gunn has big plans for.
It is worth noting that Creature Commandos was greenlit with the knowledge that it would be part of a shared universe and would be the entry point into that franchise. This is different from Man of Steel kicking off the DCEU or Iron Man launching the MCU; both films didn’t know that was a certainty, so they are relatively standalone entries with any details or hints about a larger universe, just little background Easter eggs like most comic book movies that were expanded upon later. Creature Commandos drops viewers into this new superhero universe. While primarily focused on a standalone story, it also has enough clues and hints at where the franchise is going. Here are some of the biggest clues regarding what is in store for the DCU following Creature Commandos.
Cast
Indira Varma
, Frank Grillo
, Zoe Chao
, David Harbour
, Sean Gunn
, Alan Tudyk
, Anya Chalotra
, Maria Bakalova
, Viola Davis
, Steve Agee
, Benjamin Byron Davis
Seasons
1
What Is DCU Canon Is Important
Before the main title card for Creature Commandos’ first episode even airs, viewers are given some context to this DC Universe. Rick Flag Sr. refers to Amanda Waller’s daughter outing her operations on Task Force X, a callback to the Season 1 finale of Peacemaker. Then, when going over the information about The Weasel, Amanda Waller says the character was one of the few survivors from the “Project Starfish” incident, to which Rick Flag Sr. lowers his head since his son, Rick Flag Jr., died on that mission in The Suicide Squad. Rick Flag Jr.’s death is mentioned later in the episode as Rick Flag Sr. tells Princess Ilana Rostovic about his son.
This establishes that the events of The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker are canon within James Gunn’s DCU. However, that doesn’t mean the rest of the DCEU is canon. The Suicide Squad features recurring characters from the 2016 film, such as Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Rick Flag Jr., and Captain Boomerang; the film doesn’t refer to the previous film’s events. This allows The Suicide Squad to become part of the DCU with no issues, and the only connection between the two Suicide Squad movies is that the characters share the same actor. This is important because some scenes in Creature Commandos hint at significant changes for this DC Universe.
A Rich DC History in ‘Creature Commandos’
Creature Commandos drops the viewer into the action, with the team of monsters already imprisoned by Amanda Waller and recruited into Task Force M, aka The Creature Commandos. “Episode Two: The Tourmaline Necklace” shows the origin of the Bride, created in 1831 by Victor Frankenstein at the request of Eric Frankenstein. Not only does The Bride reject Eric, but she falls for Victor instead.
This infuriates Eric, which causes him to kill Victor, leading to a centuries-long pursuit as Eric Frankenstein follows the Bride, and she fights him off. Showcasing them at various points, including likely a reference to them having survived the Titanic, fighting in World War II, and also wearing mod fashion in the 1960s, gives future DCU creators plenty of chances to have the Bride and Eric Frankenstein pop up in future stories that take place in the past.
Future episodes will explore the origins of the other characters, which could provide a richly detailed history of the DCU and lay the groundwork for the Creature Commandos characters to tie into the origins of future characters. The previews have confirmed that Will Magnus of the Metal Men will factor into G.I. Robot’s origin. Creature Commandos’ status as a collection of characters on the outskirts of the DC Universe makes them the perfect vantage point from which to get glimpses into various corners of the franchise and a rundown of the universe’s history.
Circe Is an Amazon, Setting up ‘Paradise Lost’
One of the projects James Gunn announced during his DCU Chapter One – Gods and Monsters plan was a streaming series titled Paradise Lost. The series was described as a prequel before the birth of Wonder Woman that would explore the politics and history behind the Amazons and their homeworld, Themyscira. Little information has been revealed about the project since then, but Creature Commandos might have set up the series in a big way. Circe, voiced by Anya Chalotra, is established at the beginning of Creature Commandos as a rogue Amazonian sorceress. Notably, the news broadcast revealing Circe’s attack on the nation of Pokolistan says she “claims to be the rightful heir to the throne of the mythical, perhaps real all-female island-nation of Themyscira.”
There are a few details to pour over there. The first is that Circe claims to be the true heir to the throne of Themyscira, which could be a storyline that unfolds in Paradise Lost. With the DCU set to have actors both voice and portray their characters in live-action, it seems like Anya Chalotra’s Circe will have a part to play in the upcoming Max series.
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Yet notably, in all this talk about Amazon and Themyscira, neither the news station nor Amanda Waller ever references Wonder Woman. Within the DCEU, it is unclear if the wider world knows about Wonder Woman’s home island of Amazon warrior women. The best indicator that they do know is in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, where Shazam seems to know that Diana is a demi-goddess, so there is a chance that after Justice League’s events, information about Wonder Woman’s origin and homeplace is revealed. If that is the case, the fact that Themyscira is still regarded as a myth seems to imply the events of Wonder Woman and Wonder Woman 1984 are not part of the DCU and will not inform Paradise Lost.
This isn’t all that surprising given that James Gunn and Peter Safran canceled Patty Jenkins’s planned Wonder Woman 3, and it is unlikely Gal Gadot is set to return in the role. That now, though, creates an interesting wrinkle for this new universe. There does appear to be no active Wonder Woman. While many DCU projects, like Creature Commandos, Superman, and Lanterns, seem to be forgoing telling the superhero origins, how will Wonder Woman fit into this universe? Will the DCU do a new retelling of her origin, or will they skip past it and have her show up in an upcoming project already fully formed? Within the first minute, Creature Commandos poses many questions about this universe.
Sgt. Rock in the DCU
It was recently confirmed that director Luca Guadagnino and star Daniel Craig will follow up their film Queer with an adaptation of DC’s Sgt. Rock. Sgt. Rock is a World War II soldier who has had directors like Guy Ritchie and Francis Lawerence have been trying to bring to the big screen. The trailers for Creature Commandos seemingly hinted that Sgt. Rock would appear as his fighting unit, Easy Company, which is the same unit that G.I. Robot fought in.
The series will likely explore G.I. Robot’s origin more, and it will likely reveal his time working with Easy Company and possibly hint at what fans could see in Sgt. Rock. G.I. Robot could appear in the planned Sgt. Rock movie, though the character seems like an odd fit for Guadagino’s style. The involvement of G.I. Robot and Eric Frankenstein later in the episode confirms that the DCU version of World War II featured metahumans and advanced individuals fighting alongside soldiers. That could suggest that Sgt. Rock will be a very different type of war movie.
Rick Flag Sr. Likely Has It Out for Peacemaker
In just two episodes of Creature Commandos, the series does a solid job establishing Rick Flag Sr.’s relationship and feelings with his son. The series notes that Rick Flag Sr. had his son when he was just 16 years old, explaining how 59-year-old Frank Grillo can play the father of 45-year-old Joel Kinnaman. He had a great deal of respect for his son, and his death has seemingly left a significant impact on him.
This raises the stakes for Peacemaker Season 2, in which Grillo is confirmed to be appearing as Rick Flag Sr. Since Peacemaker is the one who murdered his son, it will be fascinating to see how the upcoming season of Peacemaker will approach this. It is likely Rick Flag Sr. is not aware of the exact circumstances of how his son died in Corto Maltese or even who killed him. He likely assumes he died on the mission, but not by the hand of Peacemaker. Peacemaker will likely feel guilt over having killed Rick Flag Jr., and either he will tell Rick Flag Sr., or he will discover on his own. Either way, a fight between Peacemaker and Rick Flag Sr. is brewing, and one person might not make it out alive.
Has the Conflict for ‘Superman’ Been Revealed?
Creature Commandos is the first entry in the DCU, but Superman is the true start to the new universe as it will bring a wider audience into this new take on the DC heroes and villains. It is one of the most anticipated movies of 2025, although little information about the movie’s plot has been revealed. While the film features Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, notably, no other major villain has been confirmed for the project. This has left many to wonder how this Superman movie will stand apart from other Lex Luthor-led films like Superman: The Movie, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, or Superman: Returns.
The opening of Creature Commandos establishes that Circe has a militia working for her called “The Sons of Themyscira.” The group is clearly molded after online trolls and the alt-right, coded with visual signifiers and talking points that can be found in modern discourse. This is the same group that got James Gunn fired from Marvel Studios on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, ultimately leading to him directing The Suicide Squad and later becoming the co-head of DC Studios after getting rehired to return to finish his Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy.
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This also might hint at the direction Superman is going. Superman might be forced not just to battle Lex Luthor in a physical confrontation but also to fight for the hearts and minds of the average person. Lex Luthor could manipulate the masses, painting Superman as a threat not to be trusted and praying off their fear and worse impulses by spreading misinformation. This could tie nicely in with Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent’s job as a reporter, and how he himself will look to uphold the truth in an age where people want easily digestible news with eye-catching headlines.
Superman will need to show the world they can be better and will fight to believe in the best in people. Creature Commandos might hint that Superman will dive deep into the American political discourse and honestly examine what Superman’s classic but now retired catchphrase “Truth, Justice, and The American Way” means in 2025. This was all gleamed from just the first two episodes of Creature Commandos, imagine the exciting details and hints fans will have by the end of the season. Creature Commandos is streaming on Max.
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