James Gunn has officially revealed how the explosive Peacemaker Season 2 finale connects directly to the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow. Following the show's divisive conclusion on HBO Max last week, Gunn addressed lingering fan questions by confirming that several plot threads were intentionally designed to bridge the two DC stories. His explanation sheds light on how Peacemaker's ending sets the stage for the next chapter in his growing DCU.
The Peacemaker Season 2 finale brought several threads of James Gunn's expanding DCU, ending with major hints toward the future of the franchise. The season followed John Cena's Christopher Smith as he dealt with past family trauma, an alternate dimension, and trying to find love, ultimately facing Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), who sought revenge for his son's death.
The final episode wrapped with a storyline called "Salvation," teasing a larger cosmic mystery that will reportedly tie into Lanterns and the second season of Creature Commandos.
Despite Peacemaker’s direct connections to Gunn's upcoming projects, the status of its spin-off, Waller, remains far less certain. Steve Agee, who plays John Economos, recently admitted he isn't sure if the series is still moving forward, suggesting that it remains deep in development.
Gunn has admitted that some of the DCU plans, first laid out in January 2023, have shifted or changed since then. This is typically based on the development of specific scripts, with some never getting off the ground while others are quickly given greenlights, like Supergirl or Clayface, for example.
One project that comes as no surprise to be moving ahead is the Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow, written and directed by Gunn himself. Coming out two years after its predecessor, the DC Studios architect has confirmed what elements from Peacemaker Season 2 will affect the Superman sequel.
3 Ways Peacemaker Set Up Superman 2
Rick Flag Working with Lex Luthor
When asked on Threads about how the Peacemaker Season 2 finale set up Man of Tomorrow, James Gunn confirmed "Rick and Lex's new partnership" is something fans should keep an eye on.
In the finale, Flag Sr. proposed using the newly discovered planet Salvation as a prison for metahumans, a plan Lex (Nicholas Hoult) eagerly supports for his own hidden motives. Gunn has already confirmed that the Salvation storyline, centered on Superman, Lex, and Flag, will continue directly into Man of Tomorrow.
While Flag sees their partnership as a way to protect humanity and get his revenge, it's clear Lex is manipulating him to further his vendetta against Superman and other metahumans. This uneasy alliance could spark the central conflict of Man of Tomorrow, which is supposed to be a 1A and 1B story of Clark and Lex having to join forces.
Peacemaker Stuck in Salvation
The Peacemaker Season 2 finale left Christopher Smith stranded on the mysterious planet Salvation, a twist James Gunn says is "incredibly important" for the DCU's future. Gunn also shouted out Chris' whereabouts on Threads in reference to what could be next in Man of Tomorrow.
Salvation is far from safe, with hints of dangerous creatures and other potential villains already inside, or soon to join him. It's unclear how much of a role Chris Smith will have in Man of Tomorrow, but there's no doubt Salvation will be a key element to the film.
The 11th Street Kids Become Checkmate
Finally, Peacemaker Season 2 finale transformed the 11th Street Kids into the new DCU iteration of Checkmate, giving the group a clear purpose beyond their original vigilante exploits. Using Vigilante's stash of money, they formed the organization with a goal of "making the world better," now joined by Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez), Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows), and Judomaster (Nhut Le).
Checkmate's structure and hierarchy, inspired by the classic chess motif from the comics, give the 11th Street Kids a framework for coordinated action against emerging threats. This new organization establishes a lasting presence in the DCU, positioning it to play a part in Man of Tomorrow.
What's the Plot of Man of Tomorrow?
One possible conflict in Man of Tomorrow might involve a villain like Brainiac, the superintelligent android, who could target Earth (and even Salvation) in his quest to amass universal knowledge. He might aim to preserve cities in bottles or tap into Salvation's mysterious energy, prompting Superman (David Corenswet) and Lex Luthor to form a shaky alliance.
Lex's cunning could counter Brainiac's mega-mind, while Superman handles the physical threat, though their partnership might be filled with distrust. How Peacemaker characters like Chris Smith and Rick Flag Sr. remain to be seen, but expect a major mash-up of DCU characters up to that point.
