It’s official – James Gunn has been added to the DC Universe thanks to The Flash.
It’s a movie that features Michael Keaton’s Batman, Ben Affleck’s Batman, two Barry Allens, and a new Supergirl… but the most important addition has just been revealed – Gunn himself.
An eagle-eyed fan noticed a fun, rather silly new Easter egg in a behind-the-scenes photo with director Andy Muschietti. The Easter egg in question? A poster in young Barry's bedroom of 2004's Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, which was co-written by Gunn.
The DC Studios co-CEO responded to the development on Twitter today with a simple exclamation of shock: "I'm canon?"
I’m canon? https://t.co/YOTiv7vKBY
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 6, 2023
Of course, that also means that Sarah Michelle Gellar, Freddie Prinze Jr., Matthew Lillard, and Linda Cardellini are part of the DC Universe, too.
There’s even a former Batgirl on the cast list of the Scooby Doo sequel – Alicia Silverstone. And that means she’s part of the DCU now, too. Crazy times.
As for James Gunn, he’s already proving to be a major part of the DCU off-screen since he took over as co-CEO of DC Films alongside Peter Safran.
He recently teased that J.J. Abrams’ Superman reboot could still be on the cards despite the recent announcement that he himself would direct Superman: Legacy. This new Superman movie “tells the story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice, and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned."
Meanwhile, DC fans are gearing up for the release of The Flash, with its super-secret ending.
IGN’s review of The Flash gave it 7/10 and said: “The Flash is an ambitious superhero movie that largely pulls off its tale of two worlds, two Flashes, and two Batmans. The superhero fan service is strong with this one – perhaps too strong at times – but it never fully overshadows Barry Allen’s genuinely tragic and heartfelt story of grief.”
Want to read more about The Flash? Check out one of the film’s big cameos as well as a good look at Michael Keaton’s Batmobile and Batcave.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.