Summary:
- Peacemaker Season 2 continues Chris Smith’s (Peacemaker) wild journey in James Gunn’s new DCU.
- It picks up right after Superman, making Peacemaker one of DCU’s earliest chapters.
- Here’s everything you need to know about where Peacemaker Season 2 fits in the DCU.
James Gunn has confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 will officially be a part of DCU’s new run. Now, everyone is asking the same question – where exactly does Peacemaker fit in the DCU timeline?
Since Season 1 is tied to the old DCEU and Season 2 is arriving in a rebooted DCU, the timeline can feel confusing. Let us break it down step by step so you know exactly how the story unfolds before John Cena returns as Christopher Smith on August 21, 2025.
Table of Contents
Is The Suicide Squad Canon in Peacemaker Season 2?
It all started with The Suicide Squad in 2021, which introduced John Cena’s Peacemaker. In that film, he kills Rick Flag Jr., a moment that carries over directly into Season 2 with the arrival of Rick Flag Sr.
The movie was part of the DCEU when it came out, but Gunn clarified that while the DCEU is no longer canon, certain events, like Rick Flag Jr.’s death and Task Force X’s fallout, still carry over into the DCU
How Peacemaker Season 1 Connects to Season 2
Then came Peacemaker Season 1 in 2022. Gunn refers to the events of that season as “mostly canon” to the DCU, excluding the Justice League cameo at the end.
That would imply that Chris Smith’s emotional development, his dynamic with Harcourt, Vigilante, and Economos, and the reveal of Amanda Waller’s operations all remain in the timeline.
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- 10 Marvel and DC Crossovers We Want to See on the Big Screen
- James Gunn Hints at Animated Krypto Spin-Off Series in the Works for the DCU
Which Series and Movies Lead to Peacemaker Season 2
The next major timeline marker was brought in 2024 by Creature Commandos, which introduced Rick Flag Sr. into the DCU. This animated show easily filled in the gap and paved the way for Superman’s arrival. He mentioned his son’s passing and Harcourt’s betrayal of Waller, which makes the events of both The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 canon. We have a separate watch order guide for what you must see before going full throttle into Peacemaker Season 2.
That leads us into Superman (2025), James Gunn’s first DCU film. The movie is now officially the start of the new cinematic timeline. It takes place in May 2025, which places Peacemaker’s return immediately after it.
How James Gunn’s Superman Connects to Peacemaker Season 2’s Timeline
Here’s the key detail: Peacemaker Season 2 takes place only a month after the events of Superman. Gunn confirmed this at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, so Chris Smith’s story resumes in June 2025 in the DCU. That brief gap matters because the world is just catching its breath after Superman’s public debut and the aftermath of the film’s climactic battle.
In an interview with Interview Magazine, James Gunn explained how Peacemaker Season 2 links to Superman:
There’s this thing called the Quantum Unfolding Chamber… a dimensional doorway to 99 other dimensions… That becomes a sort of crisis with Argus because of what happened in Superman with Lex Luthor’s dimensional pathway tearing up and destroying a quarter of Metropolis.
We even got to see a small cameo from the Peacemaker in Superman (2025) on The Sphere News. He was there to share his opinion on the recording Superman’s parent sent, which Lex Luthor leaked to the public.
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- James Gunn Confirms Superman Saga – Sequel or Prequel?
- Upcoming DC Projects – All New Movies and Series (July 2025)
- All 10 Villains in James Gunn’s Superman (2025) – Explained
Through characters like Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, and Maxwell Lord, who also appeared in Superman, we’ll be able to see the direct consequences of that story. For Peacemaker himself, it’s not just a question of fighting new villains but also confronting the ghost of his past, especially with Rick Flag Sr. in charge of ARGUS and hunting him relentlessly.
The Multiverse and Canon Questions Related to Peacemaker Season 2 Timeline
The other twist is the multiverse, or as Gun calls it, alternate dimensions. Gunn has explained that Season 2 uses an alternate perspective not for spectacle, but for character development. Chris will encounter a version of the life he wished for, making him question his guilt and identity. This storytelling device also allows Gunn to explain which parts of Season 1 are canon and which are not.
While The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 are treated as “unreliable memories” of the past, Season 2 roots Peacemaker firmly in the DCU timeline with Superman.
Where Peacemaker Season 2 Fits in the New DCU Timeline
To make sense of it all, here is the DCU order leading up to Peacemaker Season 2:
| Project / Event | Release Date | In-Universe Timeline | Key Details & Connections |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Suicide Squad | Aug 2021 | 2022 | Introduced Peacemaker; Rick Flag Jr. killed; Task Force X fallout. Certain events carry into DCU. |
| Peacemaker Season 1 | Jan 2022 | 2023 | Chris Smith’s growth, Harcourt/Vigilante/Economos bonds, and Amanda Waller reveal. Justice League cameo is not canon in the DCU. |
| Creature Commandos | 2024 (TBA) | Late 2024 | Animated series; introduces Rick Flag Sr. into the DCU; mentions son’s death & Harcourt’s betrayal of Waller. |
| Superman (James Gunn) | July 11, 2025 | May 2025 | First main DCU film; establishes new timeline; Superman’s debut; cameos of Hawkgirl, Guy Gardner, Maxwell Lord. Small Peacemaker cameo. |
| Peacemaker Season 2 | Aug 21, 2025 | June 2025 | Direct continuation, just 1 month after Superman; Rick Flag Sr. hunts Peacemaker; multiverse twist used for character development. |
By placing Season 2 directly after Superman, James Gunn has made the show one of the first of the DCU’s big building blocks. It’s no longer merely an addition to Chris Smith’s story; it’s a key part of how the new timeline takes shape.
Peacemaker Season 2 is set to release on August 21, 2025, exclusively on HBO Max. Ahead of the release, here’s a look at all the series and movies connected to Season 2.
