With its marvelous blend of comedy, action, and emotion, Peacemaker stands out as one of the best DC shows ever made. James Gunn is the only person who could pull off the feat of assembling such an oddball cast into a truly impressive squad, and he did an excellent job with every aspect of this show. The series does a better job of reintroducing the superhero Peacemaker by delving into his past than Suicide Squad did in 2021, and it also serves as an ideal getaway from our hectic lives.
Peacemaker is a superhero action comedy series created by James Gunn based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It premiered in January 2022 and ended its first season after eight amazing episodes. After the show’s successful run, the only thing that mattered to fans was whether the show would be renewed for a second season. Well, James Gunn made it official on Twitter that Peacemaker would return for another season, although Season 2 was put on hold amidst the Writer’s Strike and as Gunn worked on Superman: Legacy. However, it has now been confirmed that writing for Peacemaker Season 2 has resumed. This raises the question: what can we anticipate from the show’s upcoming season?
From the future endeavors of Chris’ Peacemaker (John Cena) to new additions to his squad Task Force X, here’s what we hope to see in the second season of DC’s Peacemaker.
Update October 3, 2023: This article has been updated by Jessica Peerez with more information on what we can expect to see in the highly-anticipated Peacemaker Season 2.
Vigilante’s Backstory and a New Enemy to Face
The timeless intervention of Adrian Chase, aka Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), who not only remained throughout the season but also elevated the series to a new level, was one of the main reasons Peacemaker was especially amusing. His interactions with Chris and the team were consistently entertaining, and he was a sweet character who always looked out for Chris. For instance, when he fears Chris will get into danger because of his father, who is in prison, he gets arrested voluntarily and attempts to assassinate him.
It is obvious that Vigilante is not a normal person, as are all the characters in the show, and there must be some explanation for why he became the person he is now. It would be fantastic if Gunn delves a little deeper into his past in the following season to offer us a more comprehensive look at the character while continuing to utilize him.
Judomaster Joins the Team
Despite not receiving as much screen time as Peacemaker and Vigilante, Judomaster (Nhut Le) struck an impression on audiences with his flashy martial arts and continuous crunching of Cheetos in his mouth. Despite his small stature and fragility, he almost single-handedly fought Task Force X when they sought to eliminate the butterflies who had taken over a family. As Detective Sophie explained to Chris at the climax, he joined with the Butterflies because he recognized our planet was on the same path as theirs and wanted to preserve it.
In some aspects, he was a badass but also a bit miserable, as he was frequently knocked out in later episodes. So, in order to highlight the character even more in the coming season, including him in the main team alongside Chris would make sense. Judomaster is a much-needed character for the upcoming season because his motives were never malicious, and he simply wanted to protect the world by assisting Butterflies.
Expanding the Other Members of Team Peacemaker
One of the best aspects of Peacemaker is its characters, about whom we know very little, which gives James Gunn the freedom to write whatever he wants, and it is because of this the series has done so well with audiences. Keeping this in mind, we may expect to see any character in Season 2 and unexpected plots that may or may not be tied to the new DC Universe.
Leot Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) was given the most development, and seeing as how she is the daughter of Amanda Waller, she will likely play a role in Waller. Waller itself is being pitched as Peacemaker season 1.5 and will bridge the gap between seasons 1 and 2.
There have been hints at Emila Harcourt’s (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos’s (Steve Agee) backstories, but it would be nice to delve into more of their lives. The duo were also deep into other corners of the previously established DCEU, as seen in Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, so it would be cool to see, and maybe if they have other DC connections.
More DCU Cameos
Season 1 of Peacemaker ended with something many could believe: The Justice League actually showed up. While Superman and Wonder Woman remained in the shadows, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) appeared on screen. This firmly showed that the DC series would tie heavily into the movies. Whether the new season offers us a crossover with the new Justice League or not, fans can expect to see cameos from the DCU. Gunn has already confirmed that he is planning cameos, although he has specified that it may not be the League making an appearance in every season. Speaking to Total Film back in 2022, Gunn said:
“I think we’re going to see more connections in some other stuff as we move forward with Peacemaker and other shows at HBO Max. So those [cameos] will keep coming.”
Peacemaker ended with established DCEU heroes like Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ezra Miller as the Flash showing up. Yet, with the franchise being rebooted into the DCU, some are confused as to how Peacemaker season 1 continuity will roll over into season 2. With characters from the DCEU moving into the DCU, fans have been quite confused about possible guest appearances on the show. All that Gunn has said for now is that “Nothing is canon until Creature Commandos next year….”. He added, “It’s a very human drive to want to understand everything all the time, but I think it’s okay to be confused about what’s happening in the DCU since no one has seen anything from the DCU yet.”
Gunn has already confirmed Xolo Maridueña will reprise his role as Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle, in the new universe even if his solo film continuity is not maintained. Blue Beetle and Peacemaker have a lot of history together in the comics, so it would be a great way to continue both character’s stories. It would also be great to see Peacemaker unite with many of his Suicide Squad teammates, including Harley Quinn, King Shark, and, more importantly, Ratcatcher II, so he can seek forgiveness for trying to kill her.
Regarding a release date for the new season, Gunn has claimed that “Peacemaker’s coming back right after Superman. That’s my next thing.” Superman Legacy is currently slated to release in early July 2025. Given this, we can most likely expect Peacemaker Season 2 to be released sometime in late 2025 or early 2026.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
