On the eve of its first season finale making its streaming debut, Peacemaker has officially been renewed for a second season. The Suicide Squad spinoff series, the very first live-action DCEU TV show, has proven to be a huge hit for HBO Max, so it always seemed like it was destined for a renewal. Still, fans will be delighted to know that there’s more of John Cena’s anti-hero on the way ahead of season one wrapping up this Thursday.
Creator James Gunn and Cena himself confirmed the news on social media today, with both writer/director and star sharing a special GIF to commemorate the news — a shot of Peacemaker and his allies, John Economos (Steve Agee), Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), and Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) striding along the street as a “SEASON 2” graphic appears.
“That’s right, [Peacemaker] is coming back for Season Two,” Gunn wrote. “Thanks to [producer] Peter Safran, [John Cena], our incredible cast & crew, our wildly supportive & lovely friends at [HBO Max] – and mostly all of you for watching!”
Cena, meanwhile, took a moment to reflect on how much he’s enjoyed playing the role of the world’s most violent pacifist so far.
“Learning about and eventually becoming [Peacemaker] was an exercise in exploring the fun and absolutely genius mind of [James Gunn],” Cena stated. “It’s been a privilege to work on this show and with the cast, crew and [HBO Max] team. Elated to say we’ll be back to create more peace for Season [2]!”
Gunn and Cena made additional statements on the news to the press. As Gunn said (via Deadline):
“Creating Peacemaker has been one of the true highlights of my life, both professionally and otherwise, with John Cena and the incredible creative team around me, as well as our partners at HBO Max. To have something we all love so much be loved by the audience in turn has been a wonderful experience. I can’t wait for folks to see where Team Peacemaker goes in Season Two!”
Cena added:
“I am incredibly honored and humbled by the response to Peacemaker and the experience of playing this character. Thank you to James Gunn, Peter Safran, HBO Max, the crew, and my castmates who worked tirelessly to make this unforgettable series.”
Furthermore, Sarah Aubrey, head of original content at HBO Max, had this to say;
“The brilliance of James Gunn once again shines with Peacemaker. He took this character, brought to life by the inimitable John Cena, and created an exceptional series that’s simultaneously thrilling, hilarious and heartfelt, showcasing the humanity beneath this team of misfits living in a superhuman world. As the first original DC show to have its series premiere on HBO Max, we are thrilled that the viewers agreed to give peace a f***ing chance.”
Following on from the events of TSS, which was also written and directed by Gunn, Peacemaker follows Christopher Smith (Cena) as he is tasked with saving the world once more via the top-secret Project: Butterfly. Chukwudi Iwuji, Robert Patrick, and Annie Chang have also had main roles in season one. No word yet on if they could feature in season two or not.
While we wait for more news on its second season, don’t miss the first season finale of Peacemaker tomorrow on HBO Max.