James Gunn Teases Batman's DCEU Future After Peacemaker Finale

One of the mysteries surrounding Peacemaker is its finale. While certain members of the press were able to watch the first seven installments of the series before the general public, The Suicide Squad director and Peacemaker executive producer James Gunn made sure that its finale wasn't shown ahead of time, thus fueling speculation that something major would happen. 

In the lead-up to episode 8, Gunn has been vocal on social media about the series, with him sharing interesting behind-the-scenes tidbits and Easter eggs that fans missed when watching every installment. However, the director was tightlipped about the finale. 

From the potential appearance of remaining members of Task Force X to old and new DCEU heroes, fans have theorized about Peacemaker's biggest surprises on social media. Now that the finale is available to stream on HBO Max, those theories have been put to rest. 

In a new interview, the Peacemaker showrunner has addressed some of the surprises. 

Where is the DCEU's Batman in Peacemaker?

Warning - the rest of this article contains spoilers from Peacemaker's Season 1 finale. 

Peacemaker executive producer/writer/director James Gunn sat down with Variety to talk about the Justice League's cameo during the finale. 

During the episode entitled "It's Cow or Never," four members of the Justice League arrive on the scene to help Peacemaker and his crew in the final battle. However, John Cena's titular antihero calls them out for being late to the fight while also teasing Jason Momoa's Aquaman along the way. 

Aside from Aquaman, the other members who arrive are Wonder Woman, Superman, and Ezra Miller's Flash. The notable heroes who are absent in the scene are Batman and Cyborg. 

When asked about the pair's absence, Gunn admitted that "there are reasons for it," but he did point out that it's uncertain if he can reveal it: 

"You know, I don’t know what I can — there are reasons for it, but I’m actually uncertain whether I can say what those reasons are. It might have to do with future stuff."

The Future of DCEU's Batman

James Gunn's latest comment could indicate that a bigger plan for Batman in the wider DCEU could be in the cards. This makes narrative sense, especially considering Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton's respective roles as the Dark Knight in Ezra Miller's The Flash. 

The Flash has been previously rumored to "decanonize" Zack Snyder's DCEU movies, meaning that what happened during films such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Justice League could be erased. This is also in line with Affleck's past comments about his Batman tenure, saying that the film will "put a really nice finish on [his] experience with that character.”

With signs leaning heavily into Affleck's departure, the absence of his Batman in Peacemaker is understandable since it would be more powerful if it was in The Flash rather than a quick cameo in the John Cena-led series. 

It's safe to assume that everything Batman-related will be explained in The Flash, thus shedding more light on his Peacemaker absence. 

As for Cyborg, Ray Fisher's strong statements toward Justice League director Joss Whedon and Warner Bros. Executive Walter Hamada might have been the culprit. There's reason to believe that Fisher would not be interested in reprising his role again for DC, or Warner Bros. didn't approach him. 

All episodes of Peacemaker Season 1 are now streaming on HBO Max.