DCU Timeline Revealed in Peacemaker Season 2 Trailer

Summer 2025 is set to be a thrilling period for fans of the DC Universe. Just weeks after the premiere of Superman, marking the live-action debut of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU, viewers will be treated to another season of Peacemaker. John Cena reprises his role as the enigmatic Christopher Smith, a character who champions peace with a penchant for violence, and he's joined by many familiar faces from Season 1.

The first trailer for Peacemaker Season 2 offers a glimpse into the upcoming plot and its connections to both the first season and Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. From new details about the DCU timeline and Rick Flagg's emergence as a "villain" to the noticeable absence of Vigilante, there's much to unpack from the trailer.

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View 39 ImagesFreddie Stroma’s Vigilante in Peacemaker Season 2

John Cena's portrayal of Christopher Smith is far from the least interesting aspect of Peacemaker. Smith embodies a fascinating paradox, advocating for peace while engaging in brutal combat. His character is a perfect blend of Gunn's signature humor and a hidden depth of compassion.

However, Peacemaker thrives as an ensemble show, much like how The Flash relied on its Team Flash dynamic. Among the supporting cast, Freddie Stroma's Vigilante truly shines. His breakout performance in Season 1 made him a hilarious counterpart to Peacemaker—a clingy friend with superhero potential marred by his own personal struggles. While the series takes creative liberties with the comic book character, Stroma's entertaining portrayal makes it a worthwhile deviation.

It's disappointing to see less of Vigilante in the Season 2 trailer. While Cena naturally takes center stage, and Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt grapples with her rage, Vigilante's role seems reduced to the background. We see him working at a fast food restaurant, grappling with the lack of fame and public recognition despite his heroic efforts. Fans are hoping that the trailer doesn't reflect his overall presence in the season.

The trailer begins with an unexpected scene—Peacemaker at an open interview with the Justice League. Sean Gunn's Maxwell Lord, Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner, and Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl are present, and they seem to dismiss Peacemaker outright. This scene offers a more detailed look at the Justice League's dynamics than what's shown in the Superman trailer. The new Justice League is markedly different from the one briefly featured in Season 1, characterized by a more sarcastic and irreverent tone that fits the Peacemaker universe.

Gunn draws inspiration from DC's beloved Justice League International comics, emphasizing a team of quirky and unconventional heroes rather than the usual star-studded lineup. Maxwell Lord serves as the team's leader and financier, much like in the comics. It's likely that this scene was filmed during the Superman production to bring together the cast. While the Justice League may not have a recurring role in Peacemaker Season 2 beyond Chris' failed audition, it's exciting to see their dynamics and humor, especially with Merced's lively portrayal of Hawkgirl.

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The Return of Frank Grillo’s Rick Flagg, Sr.

Frank Grillo's Rick Flagg, Sr. is becoming a pivotal figure in the DCU. After featuring prominently in the Creature Commandos animated series and set to make his live-action debut in Superman, Flagg is now poised to be a central antagonist in Peacemaker Season 2. While calling him a "villain" might be an oversimplification, Flagg's motivations are rooted in grief over his son's death and his new role as the head of ARGUS, giving him both legal authority and moral justification in his conflict with Peacemaker.

This setup promises a compelling narrative, challenging Peacemaker's redemption arc and highlighting the consequences of his actions in The Suicide Squad. How audiences will react to Flagg's quest for vengeance against Team Peacemaker remains to be seen, but it promises to be an engaging storyline.

Making Sense of the DCU Timeline

The presence of Rick Flagg underscores how Peacemaker Season 2 directly builds on The Suicide Squad. Despite the DCU's intention to start anew, elements from the previous DCEU are retained, with The Suicide Squad emerging as the unofficial first DCU movie due to its continued references within the new universe.

The timeline for the DCU is becoming clearer: The Suicide Squad (2021), Peacemaker Season 1 (2022), Creature Commandos (2024), Superman (July 2025), and Peacemaker Season 2 (August 2025). Following these, the DCU will expand significantly with projects like Lanterns and Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

James Gunn aims to retain the groundwork laid in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1, despite the new continuity. As Gunn mentioned in a recent interview with IGN, canon is less important than the authenticity and passion invested in these stories. "Hopefully there's authenticity and truth to those stories because we care about those stories, the characters, the actors, the performers, the animators," he said. "They all care about these stories, but it's not real."

Gunn acknowledges the continuity challenge posed by the DCEU Justice League's cameo in Peacemaker Season 1. He plans to address this in Season 2, possibly using the multiverse to explain discrepancies. The trailer hints at Chris entering his father's dimension and encountering another version of himself, suggesting a creative solution to the continuity issue.

Despite the Justice League cameo, there's little preventing Gunn from integrating The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 into the new DCU. The standalone nature of The Suicide Squad allows for the retention of key characters like Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, John Cena's Peacemaker, and Viola Davis' Amanda Waller. By the end of Peacemaker Season 2, the DCU's canon should be much clearer, and fans eagerly await its return, hoping for more of Vigilante's presence.