Peacemaker creator James Gunn is taking a smaller role for Season 2 of the HBO Max series, but fans shouldn't be worried. Having introduced John Cena as Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, in The Suicide Squad, Gunn led the way on a streaming spin-off for the character in 2022. The anti-hero comedy received massive acclaim and was quickly renewed for Season 2, but there have been many changes in Gunn and DC's circumstances since then.
Having found success on The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, James Gunn was recruited later in 2022 as DC Studios co-CEO. This role placed the superhero veteran in control of a DCU reboot that is already underway, but just because he is now a studio executive, Gunn won't be relegated to an office. The filmmaker is still writing and directing new projects such as Peacemaker Season 2, Superman, and Creature Commandos while juggling his other DC responsibilities.
An official press release from Warner Bros. Discovery confirmed James Gunn's credits on Peacemaker Season 2 and revealed his involvement in the HBO Max series has dropped from the 2022 freshman outing. This stirred concern given Gunn's popularity and strong track record in the superhero genre, as some fans are worried his reduced influence may spur a quality dip.
The Peacemaker creator officially wrote all eight episodes and directed three, including the premiere, while he also serves as executive producer alongside DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran and series star John Cena.
In contrast, Gunn directed five episodes of Peacemaker Season 1 while penning all eight, effectively meaning he will helm two fewer episodes in Season 2.
Gunn's smaller role on Peacemaker Season 2 is the direct result of his other responsibilities at DC Studios. The HBO Max series was in production from June to November 2024, meaning it overlapped with his shoot on Superman which ran from February to July 2024, and, obviously, then turned into post-production work.
The director explained his DC juggling when Peacemaker production started, noting he "only [had] a few days on weekends for Peacemaker," with other directors set to tag in shortly after:
"I only have a few days on weekends for [Peacemaker] – other directors start soon. I’ll be directing some of the episodes (I’m directing today). But there are three other great directors joining me for the season."
The press release confirmed Gunn will direct the premiere while his "Happy birthday" post on Instagram to Leota Adebayo actress Danielle Brooks in September revealed he will also helm Episodes 6 and 8 (the finale).
It's no surprise that Gunn will direct the premiere and finale, but one can only presume Episode 6 must be a big one for the busy DC Studios executive to helm it himself, or perhaps it may just be a personal favorite of his.
The trailer confirmed Superman's Justice Gang will appear in Peacemaker, spoiling their fate in the summer blockbuster. Gunn's directorial credits may indicate their role, which may just be a cameo, will come in the premiere, as it would be strange to spoil a late-series surprise in the trailer.
The remaining five Season 2 episodes for which Gunn is absent will be directed by Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Althea Jones. These filmmakers are newcomers to Peacemaker as Season 1's non-Gunn episodes were helmed by Jody Hill, Rosemary Rodriguez, and Brad Anderson.
Why James Gunn's Step Back on Peacemaker Is Nothing to Worry About
There's no denying some will be concerned that James Gunn is dialing back his Peacemaker role for Season 2, but fans needn't worry. The DCU boss is still the showrunner and has written all the scripts, meaning his storytelling, humor, and knowledge of these characters will be felt equally.
Fans should also note that the three Season 1 episodes that weren't helmed by Gunn are among the series' highest-rated on IMDb. While those exact directors aren't coming back for Season 2, their replacements still hold strong resumes across projects such as Superbad, Your Honor, and Evil.
The DCU's first three projects being Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker Season 2 has meant that James Gunn's influence has been felt greatly on the whole universe so far. Not only did the superhero veteran write all three projects completely, but he has also taken a directorial role in them all.
Next year, fans will finally get a taste of the DCU with Gunn in a stepped-back role across Lanterns, Superman: Woman of Tomorrow, Clayface, and possibly an animated sequel series to Blue Beetle. While he will still be involved in all as an executive producer and overseer, these projects are led by their own teams.
This ought to offer a broader range of content from the blue brand with different tones and styles, proving that the DCU is not simply the GunnVerse.
