During a digital press conference on Thursday, James Gunn addressed reporters about the climactic moments of Peacemaker Season 2’s finale, sharing insight into the season’s unexpected twists and the emotional arc of John Cena’s Christopher Smith. Gunn also revealed he approached Ryan Reynolds with a pitch for a James Gunn Deadpool Crossover to appear in the finale.
Though the crossover did not materialize, Gunn explained that the idea involved Deadpool appearing in a scene where characters open a door to find him in another room.
“I wanted them to open a door and see Deadpool in a room, and I talked to Ryan Reynolds about it, but I think we would’ve had to go through some pretty, pretty big hoops to do that. He wanted to do it!”
Gunn shared with a laugh.
Immediately after, Gunn admitted the revelation might distract from other aspects of the finale:
“Aw, that’s all anybody’s going to want to talk about now, is f–king Deadpool in the other room,”
Gunn realized. I should’ve never said it.
Exploring the Multiverse and New DCU Settings
The finale did not include Deadpool but introduced important new locations within the DC Universe (DCU) through the Quantum Unfolding Chamber (QUC), a device A.R.G.U.S. agents explore to examine multiple universes. Instead of Deadpool, the agents discover Salvation, a hospitable but inescapable world described by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) as a multiversal prison where metahuman criminals are confined by Flag and Lex Luthor’s (Nicholas Hoult) allies.
Meanwhile, Team Peacemaker and A.R.G.U.S., led by Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), diverge to form a covert organization called Checkmate. Gunn revealed Salvation and Checkmate are concepts he has contemplated for an extended period and teased their substantial roles ahead in the DCU, especially in the upcoming 2024 film Lanterns.
“That was always pretty instrumental in the overarching story that I’m telling in the DCU,”
Gunn said, emphasizing the deep connections.
“‘Lanterns’ is very connected to all that. You know, it may not seem like it at first, but it was all very connected.”
Adapting Comic Book Concepts for New Storylines
James Gunn clarified that the portrayal of Checkmate and Salvation will not strictly follow their comic book narratives. Instead, these ideas serve as thematic foundations. Fans should not expect direct appearances of iconic characters such as Batman or any turf wars involving Lex Luthor and Joker at this time. Gunn values Checkmate as
“the real culmination of the 11th street kids and their desire to be good,”
and envisions Salvation as a harsh, unescapable community of metahumans.
As Season 2 concludes, Christopher Smith now leads Salvation but immediately faces consequences when Flag imprisons him as retribution for killing Rick Flag Jr., creating a tense cliffhanger.
Future Prospects for Peacemaker and the DC Universe
The fate of Peacemaker leaves many questions unanswered, with Gunn revealing no current plans for a third season of the series. Nonetheless, he stressed the character’s ongoing importance to him and the broader DCU.
“He’s really important to me. Peacemaker is an important character,”
Gunn explained.
“I said from the beginning when we took on this, you know, this job, it’s about really propping up, maintaining and repositioning the big diamond properties that DC has — the Batmanss and Wonder Womans and Supermans — and then creating diamond properties out of the smaller characters like Peacemaker.”
Emotional Connection Behind the Character of Peacemaker
Gunn grew emotional discussing the personal connection he feels with Peacemaker, relating the character’s complexity to his own late father. Gunn described his father as quirky and often buffoonish but ultimately loving, a sentiment he associates with Christopher Smith’s flawed but heartfelt nature.
“He had a lot of things about him that were goofy or buffoonish, and a lot of silly things that he said and believed in, but at the end of the day, I knew he loved me,”
Gunn said.
I think, until my very later adult life, he was the only person I knew loved me that was a human being and not a dog.”
Salvation’s Role in Upcoming DC Films and Lex Luthor’s Agenda
Though Gunn withheld exact details on Peacemaker’s return, he hinted that Salvation will be a significant element in the 2027 film Superman: Man of Tomorrow. However, moviegoers will not need to watch Peacemaker to understand the film’s story.
“I’m not expecting people to go into ‘Man of Tomorrow’ and know what Salvation is, you know? We will say it in the movie,”
Gunn explained.
“Anything you need to know about metahumans disappearing and everything, you’ll find out through that movie. So, it’s a very, very, very delicate balance when writing these things … You’ve got to be able to tell the story in a way where people that already know the information are not going to be bored, and where people who don’t know the information will get the information in an easy and simple way, but also not to be burdened down by too much s–t.”
On the threat that will unite Lex Luthor, Flag, and even Superman, Gunn remained cautious but admitted it is significant.
“Lex Luthor is mostly concerned about Lex Luthor,”
he said.
“So we’ll see what threatens Lex Luthor.”
Uncertain Fate for the 11th Street Kids and Amanda Waller Series
The 11th Street Kids, now expanded with Judomaster, Fleury, and Sasha Bordeaux, are poised to appear in future DC projects such as the upcoming second season of Creature Commandos or smaller shows like Clayface. The newly formed Checkmate may become an integral part of these storylines. However, Gunn expressed frustration about the uncertain status of the Amanda Waller series.
“It’s just been a rough road. That’s all I have to say,”
he admitted.
“Sometimes things just happen and it’s like butter, and you’re getting great scripts straight off the bat, and other times it’s just a rockier road. As I’ve said from the beginning, we’ll never green light something where the scripts aren’t working, and we just haven’t had that yet with the Waller show.”
Availability of Peacemaker Seasons and Continuing Impact
Both seasons of Peacemaker are currently streaming on HBO Max, allowing fans to catch up on the growing narrative that continues to influence the wider DC Universe. James Gunn’s vision positions Peacemaker and the surrounding lore as foundational to future DC stories, balancing the expansion of lesser-known characters alongside legendary figures like Batman and Wonder Woman.
