James Gunn's Peacemaker returns for a second season on HBO Max, embracing the chaos of the new DC universe without toning down its R-rated edge. The series picks up after the first season's alien invasion, with John Cena's antihero exploring a dimensional portal and an alternate reality. Gunn wrote all eight episodes and directed three, blending humor, drama, and comic book nods.
James Gunn's Peacemaker series, a spinoff from his 2021 film The Suicide Squad, dives deeper into absurdity in its second season. Originally set in the old DC universe featuring Ben Affleck's Batman, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, and Henry Cavill's Superman, the show briefly crossed paths with the Justice League in its first-season finale. Gunn's appointment as co-head of DC Studios led to a full reboot, starting this summer with David Corenswet's Superman movie, seamlessly ret-conning Peacemaker into this fresh landscape.
The new chapter follows Peacemaker and his team as unappreciated heroes post-alien threat, with Cena's character tinkering with a dimensional portal left by his father. This leads to discoveries in an alternate universe where his life went right, tempting further meddling—echoing risks seen in Superman. Gunn, who wrote all eight episodes and directed three, crafts a structure rich in emotion, humor, and Easter eggs, with antagonists like Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr., recently from Superman.
Returning cast members include Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick, alongside newcomers David Denman, Tim Meadows, Sol Rodriguez, and Grillo. The ensemble shines, with Meadows as a quirky ARGUS agent and Denman adding heart. Even Peacemaker's pet eagle, Eagly, gets an arc involving Michael Rooker as an eagle hunter. Trailers highlight crossovers with Nathan Fillion's Green Lantern and Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl from Superman, placing the series amid the new DC order.
Peacemaker remains silly, dark, and bizarre, proving Gunn's vision thrives in the expanded canon. The season premieres August 21 on HBO Max, offering wild stories beyond blockbuster Justice League tales.
