DC Studios co-head James Gunn has coined a characteristically irreverent title for the overarching narrative arc of John Cena’s Peacemaker, as revealed during his recent appearance at CCXP Mexico City. This new “trilogy” name underscores Gunn’s vision for Christopher Smith’s journey, encompassing his introduction in The Suicide Squad and continuing through the highly anticipated second season of the Max series Peacemaker. Alongside Peter Safran, Gunn is meticulously crafting the new DC Universe, and Peacemaker plays a significant role in these plans, with the second season of the show introducing the anti-hero into the shared universe that already counts Creature Commandos and the upcoming Superman.
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“Oh, it’s part of the Tighty Whities Trilogy,” Gunn stated at the fan convention. “We have The Suicide Squad, we got Season 1, we got Season 2.” This declaration from Gunn humorously encapsulates the character arc of Christopher Smith, spanning his cinematic debut and his solo television series. The “Tighty Whities” reference is a clear nod to Peacemaker’s rather infamous and often-mocked choice of undergarments, which became a running gag and a symbol of the character’s blend of deadly earnestness and utter absurdity.
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By designating this a “trilogy,” Gunn emphasizes that these three installments form a cohesive narrative, charting Peacemaker’s evolution from a ruthless government operative to a more conflicted, albeit still deeply flawed, individual. While The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 are soft canon in the DCU, Gunn is determined to preserve Christopher’s growth in the new universe.
Everything We Know About Peacemaker Season 2 in the New DCU
The second season of Peacemaker is set to significantly advance Christopher Smith’s story, picking up a couple of years after the tumultuous events of the first season, a time jump confirmed by James Gunn. This gap allows the world within the new DC Universe to react to Leota Adebayo’s (Danielle Brooks) public exposure of Project Butterfly and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) clandestine operations, events that have already begun to ripple through other DCU projects like the animated series Creature Commandos. Gunn explained this flexible timeline as a strategic decision, informed by his experience at Marvel, designed to avoid continuity issues and allow stories to develop more organically.
In addition to Cena, the returning main cast for Season 2 includes all the 11th Street Kids: Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt, Steve Agee as John Economos. Nhut Le’s Judomaster is also set to return, but there’s no information on his character’s arc after the defeat of the Butterflies. Robert Patrick is also reprising his role as Auggie Smith, Peacemaker’s deceased and abusive father, thanks to a pocket-dimension plotline. This alternate reality will feature a different version of Peacemaker with a jetpack and an inverted dove symbol, his brother Keith alive and armored, and an alternate White Dragon in blue armor.
A significant new threat arrives in the form of Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr., the father of Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman), whom Peacemaker killed in The Suicide Squad. In Season 2 of Peacemaker, Flag Sr. will be the new head of ARGUS, driven by a personal vendetta to hunt down Christopher Smith. The ensemble is further expanded by Michael Rooker as Red St. Wild, described as the “world’s foremost eagle hunter” and a specific antagonist for Peacemaker’s beloved sidekick, Eagly.
Peacemaker Season 2 is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, August 21st, on HBO Max.
What are you most looking forward to in James Gunn’s “Tighty Whities Trilogy” conclusion with Peacemaker Season 2? Let us know in the comments!
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