Is Peacemaker required homework for Man of Tomorrow? James Gunn reveals how the controversial finale for season 2 plays into the upcoming film.
Readers Beware! This article contains major spoilers for the finale of Peacemaker season 2. Continue at your own risk!
The finale of Peacemaker season 2 was one of the most shocking in comic book history. Following what appeared to be a happy ending of Chris Smith and his friends founding Checkmate to do good in the world on their own terms, James Gunn gave fans one final sucker punch to the gut by having Rick Flag Sr. abduct the vigilante and trap him in Salvation: a barren, habitable planet in another universe with no hope to escape.
Given this finale was clearly setting up for the Salvation Run comic to be adapted in the DC Universe, fans have been wondering if James Gunn intends for the ending of Peacemaker season 2 to tie directly into the upcoming Man of Tomorrow movie. Gunn teased the ending’s impacts in a recent chat with Rolling Stone, suggesting the answer isn’t so clear cut.
“No, no, no [Peacemaker’s fate won’t be revealed in Man of Tomorrow]. But people should expect that the way that the military and Rick Flagg and everybody are working together and they’ve created a probably illegal prison for metahumans on another dimension is gonna be a part of DCU stories going forward.”
“And not just a tertiary, ‘Oh, this is Arkham’ — it’s a part of the stories. There’s an escalating war, obviously, that’s going on between the government and metahumans. And this is a part of it.”
The Future Of Peacemaker In The DC Universe
James Gunn’s quote seems to imply that Man of Tomorrow will stand on its own from Peacemaker. This has left many wondering, if Gunn doesn’t have plans to continue the show past season 2, how will his fate showcased in the finale be resolved? Truthfully, the answer seems simple: James Gunn is making a Checkmate series.
As for why James Gunn would opt to do a series based around Checkmate rather than continue Peacemaker, it’s likely to expand the scope of the narrative beyond Chris Smith. Season 2 had such a strong focus on the character’s internal struggles that it would seem jarring to have season 3 focus on other characters more heavily. By making a new team-focused show, the director can likely distribute the screentime more evenly.
Peacemaker season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max. Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!
