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Supergirl is out now as we finally meet Milly Alcock as Clark Kent's fun, carefree cousin following her cameo in Superman last summer. But just how are the two movies connected – and how much time takes place between them? Well, if you're curious about where Supergirl takes place on the DCU timeline, then you're in the right spot. We go into more detail about this below, as well as giving a bit of background on how it all links to the previous DCEU.
One thing is for sure, though, the DCU timeline is not nearly as complicated as the Marvel timeline, and at the moment, we are just dealing with one universe, not a wider multiverse, which helps matters. It helps, too, that James Gunn has been very open about how exactly his timeline works, meaning it's not too hard to decode exactly where Supergirl sits.
However, we will be diving into spoiler details below, including moments from the final movie that give us an idea of the exact timeline. So make sure you've seen Supergirl before reading on.
When does Supergirl take place on the DCU timeline?
The DCU timeline is actually pretty straightforward, thankfully. James Gunn has confirmed that it goes in chronological order (though Clayface will be an exception when it releases later this year, as it's set before Superman) and takes place roughly in real time. That means the events of Supergirl are about a year after Superman and after Peacemaker season 2. The new movie also takes place about a year before Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, which is releasing in about a year, funnily enough!
As a result, we know that Supergirl likely takes place in 2026. However, it might not be as exact a date as June because the movie begins on Kara Zor-El's birthday, which in the DC comics is on September 22.
There is another suggestion of a potential date, too. In the movie's opening scene, we can see a newspaper with Superman's face on it. This has the date of October 4. However, it's pretty likely this is from the last time that Supergirl was on Earth, rather than being a recent newspaper.
The events of Supergirl don't take place over a long period of time either. We know this because when Krypto is poisoned, he is only given three days to live. Therefore, the majority of the story takes place over the course of those few days. Near the end, Kara then invites Ruthye to go on a short trip with her to belatedly celebrate her birthday, but just for a few days.
She seems to come straight from this trip back to Metropolis too, meaning that the whole action of the movie is only about a week long.
How does Supergirl fit into the DCEU?
In short, it doesn't. Supergirl is the second movie in James Gunn and Peter Safran's reboot of the DC on-screen universe, known as the DCU: Chapter One. As a result, it's completely disconnected from all the previous versions of these characters we've seen before, including the version of Supergirl introduced in The Flash.
This is also why Jason Momoa, who previously played Aquaman, is able to return as a completely fresh character, Lobo. Where it works in relation to the ongoing Matt Reeves universe is a little more complicated.
His The Batman and spin-off The Penguin were not axed from the DC slate when Gunn and Safran stepped in. As a result, they're classed as Elseworlds properties, and they exist outside of the main DCU timeline.
Supergirl is out in UK cinemas now and arrives in US theaters on June 26. For more, check out our Supergirl review as well as our breakdown of how to watch the DC movies in order and all the upcoming DC movies and shows you need to know about.
