James Gunn Clears Up Timeline Issue Related to Fran Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr.

As a seasoned gamer and avid DC Universe fan with a knack for deciphering complex timelines, I must say that the recent confusion surrounding the character of Rick Flag Sr. in HBO Max’s Peacemaker and Creature Commandos has been quite intriguing.


The Peacemaker series on HBO Max made its debut as a spin-off sequel by James Gunn following The Suicide Squad. It brought numerous comic book characters into the broader DC Universe (Kite Man, Judomaster, Vigilante, etc.), eventually earning success. We’re eagerly anticipating the arrival of the show’s second season shortly.

As a gaming enthusiast diving into the dynamic world of DC Extended Universe (DCEU), I’m eagerly anticipating the upcoming season of Peacemaker, given that the cold-blooded killing of Rick Flag Jr. in James Gunn’s Suicide Squad is considered official lore. The ripple effects of this event seem poised to make a substantial impact on the series, and the fact that Fran Grillo will portray Rick Flag Sr., father of the deceased, only adds fuel to the fire of curiosity.

In our previous analysis, it was established that Grillo confronted Cena over the alleged murder of his “child,” implying a significant conflict between them for the upcoming season. However, due to a recently unveiled teaser and the inclusion of Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos, fans have become puzzled regarding the character’s backstory, potentially causing issues with the narrative timeline.

Just a heads up, there are two videos I’d suggest watching before we proceed. They will help set the stage for what follows and clear up any potential confusion. The first video is the trailer for “Creature Commandos”, featuring Rick Flag with white hair in it.

Currently, I’m sharing a brief sneak peek for Season 2 of “Peacemaker,” recently unveiled by James Gunn. In this preview, you can see Rick Flag sporting dark locks.

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It’s quite perplexing for fans, given that Rick Flag Sr.’s appearance appears to vary significantly during approximately the same timeframe. Although the series don’t overlap, they share the same timeline. As one might guess, they aren’t too far off in this regard; however, the precise timeline hasn’t been disclosed yet, but they belong to the same storyline continuity.

So, you can, naturally, understand what the fans are concerned about – how is it that the same character looks so vastly different at the same time? Well, it seems that there is a very logical explanation that has absolutely nothing to do with the timeline of the series. Namely, one fan asked Gunn the following: “Some are linking Rick flag senior hair with the timeline” (okay, technically not a question, but you get what we’re saying):

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In a recent clarification, James Gunn linked the upcoming series (PM2) to an earlier question about its timeline. He confirmed that the show takes place after Superman, which is significant information to remember. To make things clearer, James Gunn explained that PM2 comes after Superman, which follows Crisis on Infinite Earths.

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It’s now clear how the timeline unfolds: First, we see the “Creature Commandos”, followed by “Superman”, and subsequently, the second season of “Peacemaker”. The sequence is clarified, but earlier there was some confusion because it appeared as though Grillo’s character was getting younger as time progressed, which didn’t make sense. However, as Gunn clarified, this wasn’t related to the timeline itself but rather due to Grillo’s real-life commitments, much like how the ‘Cavill mustache’ impacted the plot in “Justice League” previously.

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2024-11-12 18:44