The new DC Universe already has a few characters appearing more than others, as five heroes are part of every single release in the franchise so far. One of the main criticisms about the DCEU movie franchise was that, after Zack Snyder left, there was no clear vision. Multiple reports have since come out about “factions” fighting for control of DC.

The lack of a unified vision for DC led to popular characters, such as Henry Cavill’s Superman, barely appearing throughout the DCEU’s entire timeline. As DC Studios’ new creative head, James Gunn was brought in to make sure that issues like that would not happen with the studio going forward. So far, the new DCU has seemingly made five characters its recurring stars.

Rick Flag Sr.

While the characters are not listed in any particular order, Rick Flag Sr. is the DCU player with the biggest role in the franchise so far. That is a nice change for actor Frank Grillo, whose Marvel villain, Crossbones, did not get to do much in the MCU. At Gunn’s DC, Rick Flag has played a few different roles.

Grillo was front and center of the DCU’s first project, the animated Creature Commandos. The TV-MA series saw Amanda Waller ᴀssemble a new squad now that she could only use monsters. Flag was handpicked by Waller to serve as the team’s field leader. The character plays a key role in the show, and Flag gets romantically linked to the villain.

Rick Flag Sr. then returned in James Gunn’s Superman movie. While the character was not in the film as much as he was in Creature Commandos, Flag was still important. He was one of the members who weighed in on letting Lex Luthor imprison Superman after his parents’ message was shared with the world. Flag was against an anti-metahuman force.

Now, Flag returns yet again to play a crucial role in Peacemaker season 2. As the new head of ARGUS, Frank Grillo’s DC character is directly responsible for the secret organization’s monitoring of John Cena’s Peacemaker. While Flag is obviously interested in preventing another interdimensional incident like the one in Superman, the fact that Peacemaker killed his son plays a bigger role.

Superman

Due to how Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel hardly appeared in the DCEU, despite the character being the first in the franchise to lead a movie, it was crucial to the new franchise that Gunn’s DCU was able to make Superman have a bigger presence this time around. That has worked out well for David Corenswet’s Superman, who led a successful movie.

Superman will end 2025 as the highest-grossing superhero movie of the year, with a box office north of $600 million. Story-wise, the solo movie did a fantastic job of setting up a Man of Steel who was completely different from Cavill’s in the DCEU. This Superman film was more vibrant, with a hero who uses kindness as his biggest power.

Superman saved Metropolis and stopped Lex Luthor. Before that, he made a cameo in Creature Commandos, shown ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in a nightmare sequence of what the future could look like if Princess Rostovic won. Recently, Superman returned for another cameo in Peacemaker season 2’s premiere. He appeared alongside the Justice Gang as the team replaced the DCEU Justice League in the “Previously in the DCU.”

Supergirl

Milly Alcock’s Supergirl has also appeared in the first three projects in the new DC Universe, all created by James Gunn, and is soon set to make it four, perhaps becoming the sole character with that many appearances when 2026 comes. Alcock’s Supergirl was cast before production on her solo movie began, which led to rumors of her appearing in Superman.

Those turned out to be accurate, as Alcock’s Supergirl made her DCU debut in the Superman movie’s ending. The film revealed that Superman was watching Krypto for his cousin, Kara, as he was Supergirl’s dog. It was also revealed that Supergirl likes to go to planets with red suns, as they impact her powers and allow her to get drunk.

Before her Superman appearance, Alcock’s Supergirl was also shown in the nightmare sequence in Creature Commandos. Like David Corenswet’s Superman, the hero has also returned to the DCU in Peacemaker season 2’s premiere. While she never interacted with the Justice Gang in Superman, the series revealed that she does team up with them, like her cousin.

Peacemaker

Peacemaker is yet another character who was shown ᴅᴇᴀᴅ in the Creature Commandos nightmare sequence. The anti-hero then appeared in Superman for one of the movie’s biggest surprise cameos. There, Cena’s character was seen on TV as he went on a talk show to chat about his views on Superman. Fittingly, Peacemaker downplayed Superman to praise himself.

Now, the DC character is back in his biggest role yet as the lead of Gunn’s Peacemaker season 2. The series quickly explains how the show moved to the new DCU and then sends its characters on a journey that includes another dimension and a lot of mayhem. By the end of Peacemaker season 2’s premiere, Christopher Smith kills his other self.

Hawkgirl

Finally, Hawkgirl has also appeared in the DCU’s three projects so far. Like most of the characters on the list, Hawkgirl was part of the extensive number of DC characters shown deceased in Creature Commandos‘ nightmare sequence. Isabela Merced then came back for Superman, where her character had a bigger role and helped the Man of Steel as a member of the Justice Gang.

Hawkgirl is also part of Peacemaker season 2. She appears alongside Guy Gardner in the “Previously in the DCU” sequence at the start of episode 1 for a joke about Green Lantern’s alleged puke fetish, replacing Ezra Miller’s The Flash and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. Then, she returns and mocks Peacemaker as he auditions to join the Justice Gang.

With James Gunn writing and/or directing all three of the DCU’s first movies and shows, it is interesting that these five heroes have appeared in all of them. There may be an ulterior motive to that, as one of the characters could be key to the DCU’s future. Supergirl leaps ahead since 2026 will see her DCU solo movie.