Christopher Smith (John Cena) was introduced in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, before going on to star in his own HBO Max spin-off series. Season 2 is right around the corner, and Cena recently made a brief cameo in Superman.
Gunn's affection for this character is clear, and the filmmaker has already confirmed that there are big plans for Smith in the DCU beyond the second season of Peacemaker. With this in mind, it would be reasonable to assume that we will see the reformed villain back on the big screen at some point.
Could Cena take the lead of his own Peacemaker movie?
Gunn was asked that very question during a roundtable interview (via ComicBook.com) to promote season 2 of Peacemaker, and his response might be very telling.
"I actually know the answer to that question. I am not at liberty to say under penalty of the Safran punishment, which is a loss of my knuckle. Every time I give away something, Peter Safran will take away another joint of my finger. It’s very painful. He uses a cigar cutter."
While this is obviously far from confirmation, the fact that Gunn didn't go with the usual "not at this time" or "we'll see what happens" leads us to believe that there are indeed plans in place for a Peacemaker feature - or at least, for the character to have a major role in another DCU movie.
The Suicide Squad did not perform very well at the box office despite rave reviews, and some feel that the small screen is the best place for lesser-known characters like Smith and the rest of Task Force X. When even a Superman movie struggles to pass $600 million worldwide, how smart it would be to give a Peacemaker movie the greenlight is up for debate. Then again, the character has gained a lot more fans since the first season.
What do you make of Gunn's comments? Any interest in a Peacemaker movie?
"The new season follows Christopher 'Chris' Smith, aka Peacemaker, the vigilante Super Hero as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evil-doer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost.
In season 2, Peacemaker discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.”