Superman does something unexpected with its post-credits scenes, and that has now become the pattern that other DC Universe projects should follow. When it comes to superhero movies, fans have grown used to sitting in theaters until the end of the credits, with Marvel Studios making post-credits scenes crucial to their universe-building. Many DC movies have done the same.

That has spread to TV shows, with small-screen projects both at Marvel and DC using post-credits scenes. James Gunn’s DC Universe is no stranger to that move, though the franchise is approaching it in a surprising way. After Superman broke what could be seen as the norm for such scenes, it seems like future DC releases will walk in its path.

Why Superman’s Post-Credits Scene Doesn’t Set Anything Up

Post-credits scenes often see the debut of new characters, tease the continuation of plot points from the project they appear in, or set up new storylines for future movies and shows. When the time came for Gunn’s Superman, the first movie in the new DCU did not do any of that with its two post-credits scenes.

The first of them saw David Corenswet’s Superman and Krypto locked in an embrace as they sat on the moon. The second scene was a joke, with Superman pointing out to Mister Terrific that a Metropolis building was left crooked after the heroes saved the city, which leaves Terrific frustrated. The scenes are heartwarming and funny, respectively, but not important.

That is precisely what fans should expect to see from DCU post-credits scenes. Speaking to ScreenRant, James Gunn claimed he does not want to set up shocking post-credits scenes that will never be paid off, something Marvel has dealt with multiple times.

While future projects could be teased if there is a clear plan to pay them off, adding fun scenes to reward fans for staying around seems like the norm for DC.

2 Months Later, Joke Post-Credits Scenes Are The DCU Norm

Two months later, Gunn’s Superman movie is now out on HBO Max, with more fans being able to watch its two post-credits scenes. DC has also released the first five episodes of its latest series, Peacemaker season 2. Every episode of the show’s new season has had a post-credits scene, with all of them being jokes, not setting up anything.

As such, it is clear that Gunn is sticking to his decision when it comes to post-credits scenes. While future projects could have moments that set up other DCU movies and shows, the norm for the franchise should be one-off moments and jokes, instead of teasing new projects with every post-credits scene, following Superman‘s lead.