The first trailer for Peacemaker season 2 kicked off with the "Justice Gang" and ended with the title character pointing a gun at another version of himself. Unsurprisingly, that's quickly led to speculation about the series featuring some type of Multiverse element.
Peacemaker season 2 was in the works before DC Studios was formed, no great surprise when the first season, which spun out of the events of 2021's The Suicide Squad, was a critical and ratings hit on Max.
Many fans have raised questions about how Peacemaker season 2 will fit into the wider DCU tapestry, especially as some moments from the DCEU remain canon, while the majority of others do not. Complicating matters in the case of Peacemaker is the fact that all of the show's leads will return, played by the same actors, despite nearly everyone else being recast.
Then, there's the not-so-small issue of Christopher Smith coming face-to-face with a version of the Justice League that no longer exists in his season 1 finale.
So, is James Gunn going to explain all of this with some Multiversal madness? The trailer shows Chris in Auggie Smith's Quantum Unfolding Storage Area, a pocket dimension that could explain how he wanders into the DCU. It's a compelling theory, but one that's somewhat contradicted by Gunn saying season 2 "essentially picks up where Season 1 left off" with only "a couple minor differences."
Are we supposed to believe Peacemaker ends up in an alternate reality with the same supporting cast before just getting on with his new life? It would be an unnecessary, overly complicated way to bring the anti-hero into the DCU, especially when The Flash and Aquaman could just be swapped out for Hawkgirl and Green Lantern (Chris' story may have played in almost the same way in the DCU as it did in the DCEU).
While it's pure speculation for now, we believe there's another possibility that better serves the world Gunn is building; enter, Clayface.
2026 will see the release of a Clayface movie, so is it not more likely that Chris is set to battle him? Chances are the real Peacemaker has donned that new costume, with the version not suited up more likely to be the Batman villain.
A fight with Clayface may also explain why a battered Peacemaker is later shown fleeing through the Quantum Unfolding Storage Area. The shapeshifter nearly killed Rick Flag Sr. in Creature Commandos, and this series could bridge the gap between his apparent death there and that upcoming solo outing in a satisfying way.
Who has tasked Clayface with taking out Peacemaker? We wouldn't put it past the new head of A.R.G.U.S. Rick Flag Sr., especially if he's using the villain as a means to take revenge on Smith for murdering his son.
Peacemaker returns for its eight-episode second season on Thursday, August 21, on Max. Season 2 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.
James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and John Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Althea Jones also direct.
John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick return for season 2. New cast members include Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows.
You can watch the first trailer for the series by clicking here.