John Cena's Peacemaker and David Corenswet's Superman with Krypto Before the first DC Universe movie is released, there is another DC project coming this year that has already proved how James Gunn’s plans for the franchise are perfect. 2024 saw the first release of the DCU’s Chapter One. Now, Creature Commandos season 1 has ended after a successful 7-episode run, and the series was renewed for season 2. 2025 will be a major year for DC as the studio releases the next two projects from its new shared universe.

James Gunn’s Superman movie debuts in July, serving as the first film in the DCU. After the highly-anticipated project comes Peacemaker season 2, which continues John Cena’s irreverent series and shows how the show deals with going from the old DCEU to the new DC Universe. While both of them are exciting, there is another upcoming DC project in 2025 that will be released before the two DCU entries. The forgotten DC project has shown how Gunn’s core idea to start the DCU is the right choice.

Harley Quinn Season 5 Is Often Not Remembered Due to The Hype For 2025’s DCU Releases

The Hilarious Animated Series Returns Quite Soon

harley quinn with poison ivy & king shark season 4 Harley Quinn and Batman Bat Brainiac in his ship in Harley Quinn Red X walking towards Harley with a knife in Harley Quinn season 5 Volcana from the Harley Quinn animated series harley quinn with poison ivy & king shark season 4 Harley Quinn and Batman Bat Brainiac in his ship in Harley Quinn Red X walking towards Harley with a knife in Harley Quinn season 5 Volcana from the Harley Quinn animated series

While Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn future in the DCU has not received an answer, the DC character will be back soon, as Harley Quinn season 5 releases on January 16 on Max. Given how all focus has turned to Gunn’s DCU, and 2025 has a Superman reboot and the second season of John Cena’s Peacemaker, the irreverent DC Elseworlds project has mostly been forgotten by audiences. However, after four excellent seasons filled with exciting twists and different takes on classic DC heroes and villains, Harley Quinn season 5 should not be forgotten, and the DCU can learn lessons from it.

Harley Quinn Offers A Great Look At A Lived-In Universe For The DCU

Harley Quinn Grinning In Front Of An Explosion In Harley Quinn Season 4 Episode 10

Instead of retreading what previous DC movies and TV shows did, Gunn’s DCU is mostly not looking at adapting characters’ origin stories. The franchise will focus on world building with its first batch of projects, introducing different corners of the DCU and several characters who could go on to appear elsewhere after their debuts. That has been the case in Creature Commandos, which introduced the Wonder Woman villain Circe, Themyscira, and so many characters, and will happen again in Superman, with multiple DCU heroes appearing, and other announced projects.

It so happens that Harley Quinn has been thriving on that very concept. Since it was released, the animated series has featured characters from all over DC Comics, including the Bat-Family, the Justice League, the Legion of Doom, and more. After spending four seasons in Gotham City, Harley Quinn season 5 moves to Metropolis to explore Superman’s side of DC. The series thrives because of its lived-in world, which opens the door for exciting character interactions that are what is at the center of superhero stories. Based on Harley Quinn‘s longevity, James Gunn’s plans for the DC Universe should work.