While James Gunn’s Superman dominates the big screen, Peacemaker returns to the small.
When it was announced that James Gunn was writing and directing Superman for DC/Warner, a few people lost their goddamn minds. Sadly, that remains the case for many – some lunatic “infiltrated” San Diego Comic Con’s Hall H on the weekend to prosecute some weird, asymmetrical feud with Gunn during the DC honcho’s appearance. Just deranged behaviour.
But one of the points of contention was the worry – unfounded, it turns out – that Gunn, who cut his teeth on the Troma filth factory floor before making the world cry over a cyborg raccoon, would pepper Superman with dick and fart jokes. The rather scatological appearance of Zack Snyder’s Justice League at the end of Peacemaker‘s first season was presented as evidence. But as we now know, Superman was all gee-whizz hope and spectacle. Happily for those of us with baser tastes, Peacemaker has picked up the slack when it comes to foul-mouthed buffoonery, as this new trailer, piping fresh from its SDCC debut, amply demonstrates.
Peacemaker Season 2 Trailer
What’s the plot?
Seems to be a few things going on here, with our man Peacemaker being hunted down by Frank Grillo’s Rick Flagg Sr. You may recall that Peacemaker killed his son, Rick Flagg Jr., way back in The Suicide Squad, and the pay off to that has been building for a while now. We also seem to be dealing with some kind of alternate universe business which may or may not address the transition from Zack Snyder‘s DC Extended Universe to James Gunn‘s DC Universe. As ever, the best advice is just ignore this kind of continuity snarl. Nobody batted an eyelid when Val Kilmer was suddenly Batman, and we need to recapture some of that energy.
Who’s in it?
- John Cena as Chris Smith, AKA Peacemaker.
- Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, daughter of Amanda Waller and a mainstay of the 11th Street Kids.
- Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase, AKA Vigilante: psycho, dipshit, and staunch ally.
- Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt, 11th Street Kid and love interest.
- Steve Agee as John Economos: A.R.G.U.S. agent and guy-in-the-chair.
- Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith, the White Dragon: Peacemaker’s racist dad, now deceased. Presumably flashbacks and/or some alternate universe mumbo jumbo is involved.
- Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr, former Creature Commando and vengeful dad.
- Sol Rodríguez as Sasha Bordeaux.
- Tim Meadows as A.R.G.U.S. agent Langston Fleury.
- Michael Rooker as Red St. Wild, the greatest eagle hunter in the world, who is apparently gunning for Eagly, Peacemaker’s pet bald eagle.
Additionally, Isabela Merced, Nathan Fillion, and Sean Gunn are back as Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, and Maxwell Lord from Superman; Nhut Le returns as Judomaster while David Denman, Anissa Matlock, Taylor St. Clair, Dorian Kingi, and Brandon Stanley have been cast in undisclosed roles.
When’s it out?
Peacemaker season 2 hits HBO on August 21 2025.
What’s the vibe?
I can’t wait, personally. Gunn’s an arch-sentimentalist – that’s his secret sauce – but his sentimentality always works better when its leavened with crudity. Cena was built for this role – his complete lack of shame and willingness to do anything for the bit is what sets him apart from the pack, and Gunn has no qualms about pushing that to the limit. It’s a winning combo.
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