The new world of DC is taking shape, with the big tentpole release this summer of James Gunn's Superman movie – but he already had a hand in one big recent DC success. The first season of Peacemaker was a satirical delight that really showcased the comic timing John Cena can boast.
Now the show's getting a second season, and its first trailer confirms that it'll be just as profane and surprising as the last time out. This time around, Peacemaker and his team will once again find themselves up against the odds as outsiders that a certain Rick Flag Sr is out to purge.
After all, the trailer contains a useful reminder that Peacemaker's first appearance, in Gunn's 2021 The Suicide Squad, ended with him offing Rick Flag Jr in an attempt to keep some big government secrets from getting out. That's the sort of thing that can very much kick off a family feud without much extra effort needed.
If Peacemaker and his team thought they'd be lauded and treated as the heroes they think they are, after the end of the last season and some world-saving feats, they're sorely mistaken. Instead, it looks like Peacemaker might be getting rejected from the Justice League (or some budget version of it), and then hunted down by Flag Sr's new taskforce.
That's quite a fertile setup for a season, and we don't even necessarily know what other surprises might be in store, so it's a great outlook for the show. The first season was a big success for DC and HBO, racking up a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which few superhero shows can match (including Marvel's many creations).
It all confirms that Peacemaker is one of HBO's best sci-fi shows, for all that it's a label that feels a little mismatched with superhero stuff. Still, in a world where the Green Lanterns exist and people can fly, calling it not sci-fi also feels like a stretch. You'll be able to see for yourself when season 2 arrives on 21 August on HBO Max (no longer just Max).
