Peacemaker | |
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Season 2 | |
Showrunner | James Gunn |
Starring | |
Release | |
Original network | Max |
Season chronology | |
The second season of the American superhero television series Peacemaker is based on the eponymous character from DC Comics. It is set in the DC Universe (DCU) and serves as a "soft reboot" of the series, which started as a spin-off from the 2021 DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film The Suicide Squad . The season continues the story of jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It is produced by DC Studios with James Gunn as showrunner.
John Cena stars as the title character, reprising his role from The Suicide Squad, with Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, and Tim Meadows also starring. The season was ordered in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all eight episodes. Filming was expected to begin in 2023, but work was put on hold when Gunn was made co-CEO of DC Studios and switched focus to the film Superman (2025). The spin-off series Waller was then prioritized over the season, but Waller was delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes, and in March 2024, Gunn announced that the season would now come first. Some filming occurred the next month, taking place simultaneously with Superman at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, ahead of principal photography which began in June and concluded in November.
The season is set to premiere on the streaming service Max in August 2025 and will consist of eight episodes.
No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by [1] | Original release date |
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9 | 1 | TBA | James Gunn [2] | James Gunn | August 2025 [3] |
10 | 2 | TBA | Greg Mottola [4] | James Gunn | TBA |
11 | 3 | TBA | Greg Mottola [4] | James Gunn | TBA |
12 | 4 | TBA | Peter Sollett [5] | James Gunn | TBA |
Gunn directed two other episodes of the season, [2] and Alethea Jones also directed multiple episodes. [6]
Additionally, Nhut Le reprises his role as Judomaster from the first season, [17] while David Denman, [14] Anissa Matlock, Taylor St. Clair, Dorian Kingi, [18] and Brandon Stanley have been cast in undisclosed roles. [19] Peacemaker's pet bald eagle, Eagly, returns from the first season. [20]
James Gunn, creator and showrunner of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) series Peacemaker , said in August 2021 that he wanted to make a second season and was committed to doing so if the series was renewed. [21] He reiterated this after the first season premiered in January 2022, despite he and star John Cena not yet having deals to return for a second season and Gunn wanting to take a break after a busy few years. [22] [23] Gunn did not formally agree to make a second season until he had worked out what he wanted the overall character arcs to be, as he and Cena did not want to agree to something that they would not love to make. [24] Streaming service HBO Max (later renamed Max) officially announced the second season in February 2022, with Gunn set to write and direct all episodes. [7] [25] He said it would explore the repercussions, good and bad, of the first season's events. [26]
Discovery, Inc. and Warner Bros.' parent company WarnerMedia merged in April 2022 to become Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), led by president and CEO David Zaslav. The new company was expected to restructure DC Entertainment and Zaslav began searching for an equivalent to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige to lead the new subsidiary. [27] After the surprise cancellation of DC's Batgirl film by WBD in August, Gunn said the second season of Peacemaker was "safe", [28] and would begin filming in 2023. [29] Gunn and producer Peter Safran were announced as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of the newly formed DC Studios at the end of October 2022. [30] A week after starting their new roles, the pair had begun working with a group of writers to develop an eight-to-ten-year plan for a new DC Universe (DCU) that would be a "soft reboot" of the DCEU. [31] [32] [33] Gunn and Safran said some cast members would return from their film The Suicide Squad and the first season of Peacemaker in the DCU, and a "rough memory" of those events would remain. [34] Because Gunn was busy with his new responsibilities, the second season of Peacemaker was put on hold by January 2023. [35] In February, Gunn said the series was delayed by his work on the first DCU film, Superman (2025), but it was not canceled and would be made after the spin-off series Waller . [36] He later clarified that the second season of Peacemaker was his next project after Superman, [37] [38] and said it would be part of the DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate of content. [39]
Gunn said in October 2023 that the season would address its change from the DCEU continuity to the DCU continuity. [40] In March 2024, he clarified that the first season was not canon to the DCU and said the second season would be continuing from the events of Superman instead. [41] At that time, he revealed that Waller had been delayed by the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes and the second season of Peacemaker would now be made first. Production was set to take place simultaneously with Superman later in 2024, in the interest of getting the season ready as soon as possible, so Gunn was no longer able to direct all of the episodes. [42] He ultimately directed three episodes, including the first, [2] with Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones also directing. [4] [5] [6]
Gunn was writing the season by October 2023, following the conclusion of the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, [43] and he finished writing all eight episodes by early February 2024. [1]
John Cena confirmed that he would be returning as Peacemaker for the second season when it was officially ordered in February 2022. [7] In April 2023, when announcing the cast of the DCU animated series Creature Commandos (2024), Gunn said there were plans for some of the voice actors to reprise their roles in live-action DCU projects and specifically highlighted Frank Grillo as being cast as Rick Flag Sr. across all DCU media. [44] That July, Gunn said Freddie Stroma would reprise his first-season role as Adrian Chase / Vigilante in the DCU. [9] Also reprising their roles from the first season are Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt, Steve Agee as John Economos, [8] Robert Patrick as Peacemaker's father Auggie Smith / White Dragon, [10] and Nhut Le as Judomaster. [17] In May 2024, Gunn announced that Grillo would be reprising his role as Flag throughout the second season of Peacemaker. [13] Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, and Tim Meadows were cast the following month, with Rodríguez portraying Sasha Bordeaux and Meadows cast as Langston Fleury. [14] [15] Sollett indicated in July that Joel Kinnaman was reprising his role as Rick Flag Jr. from The Suicide Squad in the season, [5] though Kinnaman said in October he would not appear. [45] Gunn revealed the next month that Anissa Matlock, Taylor St. Clair, Dorian Kingi, and Brandon Stanley had also been cast in undisclosed roles. [18] [19]
Gunn said in March 2024 that filming was scheduled to begin later that year, simultaneously with production on Superman, [42] at Trilith Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. [46] Filming began on April 13, with Gunn doing a "pre-shoot" on a Saturday to work around his Superman filming commitments. [47] He was directing three of the episodes and had hired three other directors for the season: [2] [47] Greg Mottola, [15] who directed the second and third episodes; [4] Peter Sollett, who directed the fourth episode; [5] and Alethea Jones, who directed multiple episodes. [6] Sam McCurdy served as cinematographer. [19] Principal photography began on June 13, 2024, [48] [49] and wrapped on November 25, 2024. [19]
After the first season's opening title sequence received positive responses, Gunn said they wanted to "up [their] game" for the second season. [50] Charissa Barton returned to choreograph the second season's title sequence. [51]
The season is scheduled to premiere on Max in August 2025. [3]
Peacemaker is the name of a series of fictional antiheroes originally owned by Charlton Comics and later acquired by DC Comics. The original Peacemaker first appeared in Fightin' 5 #40 and was created by writer Joe Gill and artist Pat Boyette.
Rick Flag is the collective name used for multiple fictional characters featured in American comic books published by DC Comics. Although each character shares the same name, they are portrayed as distinct family members who typically play significant roles in collaborating with the United States government and military within the DC Universe.
James Francis Gunn Jr. is an American filmmaker. He began his career as a screenwriter in the mid-1990s, starting at Troma Entertainment with Tromeo and Juliet (1996). He then began working as a director, starting with the horror-comedy film Slither (2006), and moving to the superhero genre with Super (2010), Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), The Suicide Squad (2021), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
Frank Anthony Grillo is an American actor. He is known for playing Brock Rumlow / Crossbones in the superhero franchise Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Sergeant Leo Barnes in The Purge franchise, and Rick Flag Sr. in the DC Universe (DCU). He has also appeared in Warrior (2011), The Grey (2012), End of Watch (2012), Zero Dark Thirty (2012), Wolf Warrior 2 and Wheelman, and Boss Level (2021).
DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. The character debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941 and was the protagonist of two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After multiple scripts and several years in development, Richard Donner was hired as director, and he shot two films, Superman (1978), and Superman II (1980), at the same time, both starring Christopher Reeve. Donner had filmed 75 percent of Superman II before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester returned to direct Superman III (1983). The Salkinds also produced the spin-off Supergirl (1984). They then sold the rights to Cannon Films, which produced the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights in 1993.
The Flash is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character Barry Allen / Flash. Directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and a story by Joby Harold and the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, it is the 13th film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) produced by DC Films. Ezra Miller stars as Barry, who travels back in time to prevent his mother's death and becomes stranded in an alternate past. Sasha Calle also stars in her film debut, alongside Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton.
DC Studios is an American film and television production company that is a division of Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). It is responsible for the production of live-action and animated films and television series, as well as video games, based on characters from the American comic book publisher DC Comics, primarily as part of its flagship media franchise and shared universe, the DC Universe (DCU). The studio has been led by writer/director James Gunn and producer Peter Safran as its co-chairmen and co-CEOs since it was formed in November 2022.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The DCEU also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
The Suicide Squad is a 2021 American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Suicide Squad. It is a standalone sequel to Suicide Squad (2016) and the tenth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was written and directed by James Gunn and stars Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Alice Braga, and Pete Davidson. In the film, several convicts join a task force known as the "Suicide Squad" in exchange for lighter sentences. They are sent to the South American island nation of Corto Maltese to destroy all traces of the giant alien starfish Starro the Conqueror before it falls into the local government's control.
Superman is an upcoming American superhero film based on the eponymous character from DC Comics. Produced by DC Studios and to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it will be the first film in the DC Universe (DCU) and a reboot of the Superman film series. The film is written and directed by James Gunn and stars David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, alongside Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Edi Gathegi, Anthony Carrigan, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced, Skyler Gisondo, Sara Sampaio, María Gabriela de Faría, Wendell Pierce, Alan Tudyk, Pruitt Taylor Vince, and Neva Howell. In the film, Superman's journey to reconcile his alien heritage with his human family is explored.
Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is an upcoming American superhero film based on DC Comics featuring the character Supergirl. Produced by DC Studios and to be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it will be the second film in the DC Universe (DCU). The film is directed by Craig Gillespie, written by Ana Nogueira, and stars Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El / Supergirl, alongside Matthias Schoenaerts, Eve Ridley, David Krumholtz, and Emily Beecham.
Peacemaker is an American superhero television series created by James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max, based on the DC Comics character of the same name. The first season is the only DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, it further explores jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It was produced by the Safran Company and Troll Court Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and with Gunn as showrunner. The second season is produced by DC Studios and set in the DC Universe (DCU), a "soft reboot" of the DCEU.
Christopher "Chris" Smith, also known as the Peacemaker, is a fictional antihero in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and later the DC Universe (DCU) media franchises, based on the Charlton / DC Comics character of the same name. Adapted for film by writer/director James Gunn, he is portrayed by John Cena. Smith operates as a vigilante who aims to achieve peace at any cost, which results in a 30-year prison sentence at Belle Reve Penitentiary. He is approached by the facility's warden and the director of A.R.G.U.S., Amanda Waller, to join a strike team called Task Force X along with other inmates on an infiltration mission to the remote island of Corto Maltese. After being incapacitated during the mission, he is nursed back to health by A.R.G.U.S. and assigned to accompany a group of their agents for "Project Butterfly".
The DC Universe (DCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications. It was created by James Gunn and Peter Safran, co-chairmen and co-CEOs of DC Studios. The DCU is a soft reboot of a previous franchise, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), retaining select cast members and narrative elements but disregarding others. In contrast with the previous state of DC Comics adaptations, the DCU features a united continuity and story across live-action films and television, animation, and video games. Concurrent DC adaptations that do not fit this continuity are labeled "DC Elseworlds".
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) media franchise has experienced a turbulent history since its inception in 2013, characterized by highly publicized clashes between studio executives and talent, constantly changing approaches to worldbuilding, and repeated changes in management. Warner Bros. Pictures originally announced plans for a shared universe of live-action films based on the DC Comics, starting with the release of Man of Steel (2013), with director Zack Snyder set to spearhead the franchise. Following the negative reception to Snyder's follow-up film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Warner Bros. created DC Films, a new division led by Geoff Johns and Jon Berg tasked with overseeing development of the DCEU. DC Films attempted to correct the course of the franchise, culminating in the troubled production and disastrous release of the crossover film Justice League (2017), which significantly deviated from Snyder's original vision.
Creature Commandos is an adult animated superhero television series based on the eponymous team from DC Comics. Produced by DC Studios and Warner Bros. Animation, it is the first television series and the first installment in the DC Universe (DCU). The series focuses on a black ops team of monsters assembled by Amanda Waller. All seven episodes of the first season were written by series creator James Gunn, with Dean Lorey serving as showrunner and Yves "Balak" Bigerel as supervising director.
The first season of the American superhero television series Peacemaker is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is the only television series in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and a spin-off from the 2021 film The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, the season further explores jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith / Peacemaker. It was produced by the Safran Company and Troll Court Entertainment in association with Warner Bros. Television and with James Gunn as showrunner.