James Gunn Says Peacemaker Isn’t DCU Canon… Yet
With the end of the DCEU and the beginning of the DCU, it seems obvious that most of the earlier universe’s films and shows won’t be canon in the new DC continuity. However, with James Gunn being co-chairman of the DCU alongside Peter Safran, many assumed Gunn’s works would be part of the new canon. However, it seems that isn’t the case, with Gunn himself confirming that season one of Peacemaker won’t be canon, but the second season will.
John Cena Is Still Peacemaker
James Gunn provided some further details about the continuity of the new DC Universe, clarifying that nothing currently released is considered canonical in the universe with the upcoming Creature Commandos being the first in-continuity piece of media. Despite this, there will be actors reprising their previous roles, such as John Cena’s role as Peacemaker. While this is sure to create confusion for some viewers, Gunn assured fans that Seaosn 2 of Peacemaker will be easy for fans of the first season to follow.
Peacemaker Flirting With James Gunn’s Wife Is Now Non-Canon
Released in 2022, Peacemaker was a surprise hit for DC, spinning off from James Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad, not to be confused with the 2016 Suicide Squad. Starring John Cena, Peacemaker followed the often moronic but good-hearted anti-hero Peacemaker as he returned home following the events of The Suicide Squad to try to make a fresh start and become a legitimate hero. The show’s combination of humor, flawed characters, pup culture savviness, and surprising heart is indicative of Gunn’s style popularized with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
A Shock To Fans
The fact that the first season of Peacemaker won’t be canon despite its connections to James Gunn is a bit of a surprise considering the show’s second season is still planned, but it may be for the best if there’s a clear cut between the previous iteration of DC properties and the new DCU. Making season one of the show canon would be problematic because of how closely tied it is to The Suicide Squad, which in turn is connected by various characters and plot threads to other DCEU movies like Birds of Prey and Black Adam.
By having a clear separation of continuity, the DCU can bring back popular actors in their respective roles without having to address the convoluted web of interconnected DCEU movies.
DC Loves Universe Resets
This approach to continuity, resetting the universe at large while still keeping certain elements of what came before, won’t be too unfamiliar for fans of DC comics as it is an approach they’ve used for their universe-resetting events in the past. In particular, The Crisis on Infinite Earths, New 52 relaunch, and Rebirth event all established new continuity while pulling elements from previous iterations of the universe. Whether James Gunn is able to make this work with movies like Superman and shows like Peacemaker will be a major question for the viability of the DCU.
The Fun Of Peacemaker
With the new DC Universe just around the corner, it’s an exciting, if tumultuous, time for DC fans. Many fans were disappointed by the DCEU, though there is a vocal fandom for Zack Snyder’s vision of the universe, which some felt WB failed to steward. Others are hopeful that James Gunn can revitalize DC by instilling the sense of fun Peacemaker brought into the larger universe.
