The DCEU will soon come to an end, making way for the DC Universe’s beginning, but which movie will mark its official conclusion? After the tragic box office performance of DC’s most recent film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the road to the end is only going to get rockier. The Flash is now more important to the DC Universe beyond simply resetting the continuity so James Gunn and Peter Safran can begin anew. It must perform well in the box office to ensure the DC Universe isn’t stuck in the mud before it can ever begin.

There’s genuine excitement for the DC Universe’s plans. They’re taking bold swings to establish strong and broad franchise foundations with their slate, mixing surefire hits like Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold with unexpected picks such as The Authority and Creature Commandos. Logically, there will be considerable steps to distance the DCU from the DCEU’s dysfunctional and disted legacy, but since The Flash is only catalyzing a soft reboot, there still must be some connective tissue. While much remains to be discovered about what to expect in the DC Universe, even in its waning days, the DCEU may shed some light on the path forward.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Is The Final DCEU Movie

jason momoa as aquaman in dc projects

Remarkably, the DCEU’s final year is also its biggest year, and closing it all out is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The Aquaman sequel is currently slated to release on December 25th. Nevertheless, fans are now wondering how Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom connects to the DC Universe reset.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will reportedly reunite Jason Momoa’s Aquaman with his villainous brother Orm, also known as Ocean Master, played by Patrick Wilson, as they tepidly work together to protect the world from an ancient threat. Aquaman built up an interesting dynamic between the two, so this evolution could be intriguing. Ideally, given the contexts, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom can be just as entertaining and endearing as Aquaman while providing a clean conclusion to the DCEU as a whole.

Superman Legacy Launches The DC Universe In 2025

Official artwork from the All-Star Superman comics featuring Clark Kent sat above the clouds of Metropolis.

After Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, there will be a year-and-a-half period in which there will be no new DC releases in theaters. Hopefully, the absence in 2024 will give audiences the time to readjust their expectations and sentiments around the DCEU and its end before Superman: Legacy launches the DC Universe in 2025. The inaugural film, which is, fortunately, being written and directed by Gunn and will thus establish a clear and fresh creative vision, is currently slated for release on July 11th. The big question surrounding it is who will play the last son of Krypton. Aptly, James Gunn shared on Twitter that they’re currently preparing for auditions.

Superman: Legacy is already shaping up to be notably different from Man of Steel and the DCEU. It won’t be another unnecessary regurgitation of Superman’s well-known backstory, but will rather focus on a younger, yet already established Superman. Presumably drawing heavily from Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s beloved All-Star Superman run, Superman: Legacy will see the return of Superman as a compelling, bright symbol for hope and “kindness in a world that thinks kindness is old-fashioned” as Gunn described him in the film’s announcement. Starting with Superman: Legacy, the DC Universe can begin to examine what it means to be a hero in a world full of gods and monsters.

How DCEU Movies Will Connect To The New DC Universe

James Gunn in front of of the DCEU Justice League

Even though some roles like Superman and Batman are being recast in favor of alternative character approaches, since the DC Universe is a soft reboot of the DCEU and not a full reset, surely some elements from the past regime will carry over. This doesn’t mean they’ll be the same, but keeping some of the casting and/or story elements can allow the DC Universe to build on the DCEU rather than start from square one. Currently, however, there is not much indication of what will stay and what will nor how any of the 2023 DCEU releases, besides The Flash, will play into the DC Universe.

The only confirmed case to carry over is in Waller and Blue Beetle. Viola Davis will be continuing as Amanda Waller and as it’s being framed as a spin-off of Peacemaker, other cast like Jennifer Holland, Danielle Brooks, and Steve Agee will her. This is the most significant carry-over, although it’s interesting to consider if this will also continue to build on the strange Justice Society connection between Waller and team Peacemaker that Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods began to seed.

While their respective statuses are currently unconfirmed, DC’s 2023 movies are still important to the DC Universe’s future. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom can establish if there is any new future for the hero after the reset. The Flash’s outcome basically allows DC to take what they like and abandon what they don’t. But for now, it’s too soon to predict definitively how the DCEU will lead into the DC Universe.

Source: James Gunn/Twitter