Streaming exclusive content has become increasingly pivotal in Hollywood as studios continue to pour millions into big-budget original series and movies. The comic book world has been no exception to that rule as Marvel Studios takes the MCU to Disney+ and DC expands its storytelling onto HBO Max.
James Gunn's Peacemaker ended up being the first major DC original to hit the platform, with series currently in development for Green Lantern, Penguin, and Arkham Asylum. Warner Bros.' streaming ambitions don't stop at big-budget episodic adventures, with HBO Max original movies being in the works based on Batgirl and Blue Beetle.
In the wake of Warner Bros. Discovery, the new management has been looking to make major shake-ups across the board, particularly with reference to the DC universe. Batgirl has been among the victims of these changes as the studio first considered moving the movie from HBO Max to theaters but ultimately decided to cancel the $90 million flick that had already wrapped filming.
Now, fans have begun to speculate about what other DC projects could fall victim to cancelation. Fortunately, Gunn set the record straight with reference to his own HBO Max show, Peacemaker, which aired its debut season earlier this year and has been renewed for Season 2.
Is Peacemaker Season 2 Still Happening at HBO Max?
Following the cancellation of Batgirl, many have shared concerns that Peacemaker Season 2, which serves as a spin-off to James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, will be canceled as Warner Bros. switches up its plans for DC on HBO Max.
Showrunner and director James Gunn responded "Yes, guys, calm down," to a fan asking if John Cena's popular series is safe.
Gunn is currently developing Peacemaker Season 2 and a series focused on Viola Davis' Amanda Waller for HBO Max, with the director also involved in several other projects.
What is DC's Future on HBO Max?
Warner Bros. Discovery seemingly doesn't see streaming original DC movies as part of its plan for the future. Granted, canceling the near-complete Batgirl may have been a rather extreme move, as perhaps it could have just moved to theaters instead, but one can only imagine there were other reasons behind the decision.
Looking into the future, there's every chance other streaming original movies such as Blue Beetle may be in danger of suffering the same fate. Equally, projects that clearly belong on the big screen like Justice League Dark and Green Lantern may be pivoted from being series to theatrical releases.
However, that doesn't mean Warner Bros. will be abandoning DC's presence on the streaming service altogether. Instead, it appears to be leaning more into the direction of using the service to create spin-off series to its biggest movies based on fan-favorite characters - including Colin Farrell's Penguin and John Cena's Peacemaker.
Perhaps the future will see further emphasis on this direction as DC looks to take a similar approach to HBO Max to how Marvel has done with Disney+. Most importantly, Peacemaker appears to be in safe hands, which will offer a sight of relief to many after the series debuted to a phenomenal response from critics and fans alike.
With James Gunn currently pre-occupied finishing The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special and Vol. 3, it may be some time before the douchey Captain America is back in action. The director previously suggested filming ought to begin in 2023, making a 2024 release the top contender at this time.
Season 1 of Peacemaker is streaming now, exclusively on HBO Max.
