Peacemaker Season 2 Finale Will Give Fans What They Want the Most, Reveals James Gunn

Riding the wave of Superman’s box office success, the DC Universe has continued to build its new canon with the critically acclaimed second season of Peacemaker. The series has deepened its exploration of Christopher Smith’s (John Cena) psyche, forcing him to confront a traumatic past while navigating a complex multiversal plot involving an alternate reality. While the season has earned widespread praise for its sharp writing, emotional depth, and Cena’s performance, one persistent complaint has surfaced among the fanbase. Despite the show’s high quality, many viewers have expressed frustration with the relatively short length of the weekly episodes, which have consistently averaged around 35 minutes and left audiences wanting more.

With only one episode remaining in Peacemaker Season 2’s eight-episode run, series creator and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has directly addressed the fanbase’s concerns regarding runtime. Gunn confirmed on social media that the Season 2 finale will be over 57 minutes long, making it the most substantial installment in the show’s entire history. This announcement provides reassurance that the series plans to dedicate ample time to resolving its many dangling plot threads. After all, the extended finale will need to address the fate of the alternate Earth-X dimension, the true motivations behind Rick Flagg Sr.’s (Frank Grillo) obsessive hunt for portal technology, and the ultimate emotional resolution for Christopher Smith himself.

Is It Bad That Peacemaker Episodes Are So Short?

While some fans have been vocal about the shorter episodes, the season’s tight narrative structure can be seen as one of its greatest strengths. Each chapter of Peacemaker Season 2 is densely packed with witty dialogue, visceral action, and genuinely moving character moments, leaving no room for filler. Plus, the season maintained a near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes, improving upon the first season’s already stellar reception. The acclaim suggests that the episodes are precisely as long as the story demands, prioritizing quality and narrative momentum over hitting an arbitrary runtime. Gunn himself has championed the creative freedom afforded by streaming, stating that he focuses on cutting the best episode possible, with its length being a secondary concern.

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The core of the issue appears to be a disconnect between the delivery format and audience expectations. For streaming services, a “one-hour” drama typically runs between 42 and 55 minutes, a standard set by decades of network television that had to account for commercial breaks. With Peacemaker dropping episodes weekly, the wait can make a 35-minute installment feel insubstantial, leaving some fans feeling shortchanged. This frustration is understandable. However, the alternative—artificially extending episodes to meet a time quota—often leads to pacing problems and diluted storytelling. By keeping most episodes concise and impactful, Gunn ensures the season remains brisk and engaging, saving the longest chapter for a climactic finale that has been given the necessary space to deliver a neat conclusion that connects to the upcoming Man of Tomorrow movie.

The season finale of Peacemaker is scheduled to premiere on October 9th on HBO Max.

What are you most hoping to see resolved in the extended finale of Peacemaker Season 2? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!