James Gunn reveals the multiverse in Peacemaker Season 2 will be different from any other superhero show: Here’s how

Peacemaker Season 2 is officially arriving on August 21, 2025, on HBO Max, with John Cena reappearing as Christopher Smith in a fresh version of the DC Universe. Featuring eight weekly episodes, the show occurs one month after the events of Superman (2025). James Gunn announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2025 that this season will strictly remain in the rebooted DCU, distinct from Season 1, which was originally part of the DCEU.

What's striking about Peacemaker Season 2 is its approach to the multiverse. Instead of piling the series full of multiversal cameos or spectacle, Gunn declared that the show will be centered around a single alternate dimension. This approach gives emotional weight to the theme, challenging Peacemaker to confront identity, guilt, and what his life could have been like, rather than being employed as a continuity bridge between several franchise series.

Peacemaker Season 2 in the DCU timeline

James Gunn recently confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 is deeply embedded in the new DCU timeline. The story begins a little after Superman came out into the public eye, placing Chris Smith and his team in the middle of the new continuity. While Season 1 had references to the DCEU as well as cameos from Justice League characters, Season 2 is a soft reboot.

Parts of the first season are still canon, but the show will explain which ones still exist in this universe and which are abandoned.

The multiverse as a character-driven tool

In contrast to most superhero endeavors, Peacemaker Season 2 makes use of the multiverse sparingly. Gunn has described the season as about "two dimensions," but not in terms of combining the DCEU and DCU. Instead, the alternate reality is a character-driven storytelling tool.

About the use of multiverse as a narrative tool, Gunn told Entertainment Weekly,

"Over the past four or five years, they've suddenly been everywhere. I think of Peacemaker as more of a high-concept story about one other world."

It allows Peacemaker to battle another version of himself and explore matters of his choices, conscience, and identity. What it is not for is spectacle, but an affectively resonant exploration of who Chris Smith is.

Confirmed characters and growing the DCU

Peacemaker Season 2 will see cameos from veteran DCU characters like Hawkgirl, Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), and Maxwell Lord. Their appearances further fortify the show's continuity with the greater DC Universe while keeping the general focus on Peacemaker's journey.

These crossover appearances serve the function of positioning the show both as an extension of Chris Smith's story and as a large-scale building block in the emerging DCU.

Rick Flag Sr. and continuity threads

One of the main plots in Peacemaker Season 2 is Rick Flag Sr., played by actor Frank Grillo. His entry is a reference back to The Suicide Squad, where his son, Rick Flag Jr., was murdered by Peacemaker. Through revenge, Rick Flag Sr. brings personal and moral drama into play, grounding the season in the consequences of the past.

This plot ensures that the new DCU does not leave behind the old narratives but rather reimagines them within its new continuity.

Explanations on the multiverse and Canon

Early gossip discussed ideas such as the "Quantum Unfolding Chamber" and posited the existence of at least 100 other realities in the DCU, but Gunn has instead focused on the emotional resonance of two central aspects of Peacemaker Season 2.

The vast multiverse certainly continues to exist in DCU lore, but the focus is intimate and specific here. Cameos continue to be a part of the narrative, but the season does not depend on them as its hook.

Why this approach stands out

Peacemaker Season 2's multiverse setup is unique in that it doesn't try to bury audiences with various versions of known characters. Rather, it employs the concept of an alternate universe as a narrative tool, using reflection, consequence, and learning.

This produces a season with less fan service and more character exploration. For a series grounded in both irreverence and exposure, this approach is extremely close to Gunn's creative vision.

Peacemaker Season 2 brings continuity, fresh characters, and multiverse storytelling together in a format that's new to the superhero genre. Given that James Gunn has already set his position in the DCU timeline and its emphasis on emotional storytelling, the season avoids the usual pitfalls of multiverse storytelling.