Fans who watched “The Suicide Squad” movie quickly fell in love with the character Peacemaker, played by John Cena. At the end of the movie, things looked dire for the antihero. However, in the post-credit scene, it was revealed that he had survived being shot. Even better news for fans of Peacemaker, DC Comics, and Warner Bros. had announced even before the movie was released that Peacemaker would be getting his own Suicide Squad spinoff series. The newest part of the DC Extended Universe is set to premiere in early 2022.
If you’re part of the DC fandom and are eagerly awaiting the release of episode one, keep reading for your first look at the show. We’ll cover the latest news about the premise, the characters you can expect to see, and who will make up the cast. As more information becomes available, we’ll keep updating our website, so make sure to keep checking back.
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About DC’s “Peacemaker” TV Series
Peacemaker, a trained killer and the antihero persona of Christopher Smith, believes in peace. In fact, he’ll kill anyone who gets in the way of achieving that peace. The comic book character originated in 1966 at the hands of Joe Gill and Pat Boyette. He arrived in the DC Comics universe after being acquired in the 1980s.
“The Suicide Squad” movie that came out in 2021 was the first time Peacemaker’s character joined the DCEU and was seen on the big screen. As he’s a lesser-known character, we don’t learn much from the movie about his background. However, what we know is that while Peacemaker doesn’t have his own superpowers, he has a lot of weapons at his disposal. We also know he comes with an off-kilter sense of humor and a questionable moral compass.
In October 2021, the full-length trailer for the show was released. We can see from the trailer that speculation that the show would be a prequel to “The Suicide Squad” movie was wrong. Instead, it appears to be more of a redemption arc for Cena’s character. Peacemaker is one of only a few Suicide Squad characters to finish the movie alive, and he betrayed several of the characters in the process.
Now, he’s got to learn to work with and trust a new team. We get to see some familiar faces reprising roles in the series and meet some new characters, including Peacemaker’s father, which should lead to an interesting origin story.
When Will the New “Peacemaker” Series Premiere?
The release date for the first episode of “Peacemaker” is Jan. 13, 2022. The first season will include eight episodes, which we assume will be released once per week and then be available to stream on-demand. The second Peacemaker season has been confirmed by the series creator, James Gunn, who also serves as an executive producer alongside John Cena and Peter Safran.
Gunn created the series during what was supposed to be a break before filming the next Marvel “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” movie. He directed five of the “Peacemaker” episodes, as well. The remaining episodes are directed by Rosemary Rodriguez, Jody Hill, and Brad Anderson. Gunn and Cena are both producers of the series, as well.
Who Are the Main Characters of “Peacemaker”?
While we may not know every character who will appear in the eight-episode season, we do have a good idea of the main cast members. Check out our “Peacemaker” character guide below.
Peacemaker, John, Emilia, Vigilante, and Leota
They include:
Peacemaker/Christopher Smith, played by John Cena:
After it’s revealed that Peacemaker survived being shot by Bloodsport at the end of “The Suicide Squad” movie, we get to see him learn to work with a new team in the series. He’s an unstable antihero who pursues peace at any cost — killing anyone in his way. Cena himself has called Peacemaker a “douchey Captain America,” and the series will dive further down into what makes him tick.
Starring as the title character, John Cena is a professional wrestler who appeared in several action movies such as “The Marine” and “12 Rounds”, as well as comedy films, including “Trainwreck” and “Blockers.”
Emilia Harcourt, played by Jennifer Holland:
Emilia Harcourt is a logistics officer for the Task Force X team. Her character is relatively new, but we briefly met her in “The Suicide Squad” movie, in which she was an NSA agent. She controlled Task Force X along with Amanda Waller, but after Starro was released on Corto Maltese, she helped the squad save the city. In revenge, Waller orders Harcourt to assist Peacemaker in a new mission.
Before her debut in “The Suicide Squad,” Jennifer Holland appeared in such TV hits as “CSI: Miami,” “American Horror Story: Asylum,” and “Sun Records.”
Clemson Murn, played by Chukwudi Iwuji:
A leader of Task Force X, Clemson Murn, is responsible for how the team functions, including its new member, Peacemaker. He is a tough and tenacious mercenary hired by Waller to lead the team in their fight against the global threat called The Butterflies.
Chukwudi Iwuji also appeared in popular series like “Designated Survivor” and “When They See Us.”
John Economos, played by Steve Agee:
Economos has been around in various forms for a while, starting out as an administrator for Task Force X before losing faith in its leader, Amanda Waller, and walking away. He’s back, handling operations for this new iteration of the team.
Agee is known for providing motion capture for King Shark in the “Suicide Squad” and for his recurring roles in such shows as “New Girl” and “Superstore.”
Leota Adebayo, played by Danielle Brooks:
Adebayo is new to the universe. We don’t know much about her role in the show but it’s sure to provide a lot of fun as she interacts with Peacemaker. Fans will recognize Brooks from her previous role in “Orange Is the New Black.”
Fans will recognize Danielle Brooks from her previous role in the popular “Orange Is the New Black” and other TV shows like “Master of None” or “Girls.”
Vigilante/Adrian Chase, played by Freddie Stroma:
Chase began as a New York City district attorney. After criminals killed his family, he became a crime-fighting antihero known for his ability to quickly heal from injuries. The show presents Chase as a busboy who idolizes Peacemaker, even though the characters were enemies in the comics.
Stroma replaced Chris Conrad as Vigilante after the actor exited due to “creative differences”. Stroma’s other popular movies include “Harry Potter” and “Game of Thrones”.
Auggie Smith, played by Robert Patrick:
Smith is Peacemaker’s father. Don’t expect him to be similar to the father from the comic books — that iteration was a war criminal who killed himself in front of his son. His character in the show is sure to bring plenty of drama and baggage with him, though.
Patrick is best known for his appearance in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” as the T-1000.
Sophie Song, played by Annie Chang:
Song will be a recurring character. She’s a police officer who works with Captain Locke looking for Peacemaker. Annie Chang is known for her roles in “Shades of Blue,” “House of Cards,” and “Master of None.”
Captain Locke, played by Christopher Heyerdahl:
Caspar Locke is also a recurring member of the police force who has ties to Peacemaker. He was hired by Waller to keep Auggie Smith in jail and prevent arresting the main character. In the series, Peacemaker kills the Butterfly inside him.
Larry Fitzgibbon, played by Lochlyn Munro:
Fitzgibbon is Song’s partner in the police force. He’s named after Gunn’s personal friend, which upholds the tradition of the name “Fitzgibbon” appearing in each of the creator’s projects. Munro’s other movies and shows include “Unforgiven,” “Scary Movie,” and “Riverdale.”
Jamil, played by Rizwan Manji:
Jamil will have a recurring role in the series, but that’s all we know so far. Fans will recognize Manji from “Perfect Harmony,” “Mr. Robot,” and “Schitt’s Creek.”
Who Are the Villains in “Peacemaker”?
There are sure to be all sorts of hilarious interactions with villains in the series. However, we only have good intel on one villain, who will regularly recur on the show. Judomaster, played by Nhut Le, is an obscure character in the show. He’s a master of martial arts and a bodyguard for Senator Royland Groff. The original version of this character came out of World War II, so we can expect his background to be vastly different.
Several recurring characters have been confirmed for the “Peacemaker” cast, but because they are so new to the universe, it’s hard to say right now if they are heroes or villains. For example, Alison Araya and Lenny Jacobson have been cast as a married couple, Amber and Evan. These characters appear to be straight from the brain of James Gunn himself.
Where Can You Watch DC’s “Peacemaker”?
The show will run on HBO Max, which is quickly becoming the home for all things DC — from iconic movies to new spinoff series and even more blockbusters. You’ll need to be an HBO Max subscriber to watch the new episodes of the HBO Max series or any of the DC Extended Universe.
Learn More About the Latest DC Shows and Movies on BuddyTV
John Cena’s Peacemaker in “The Suicide Squad” movie quickly became a fan favorite. The humor and action he brought to the film combined to capture our hearts. We expect even more with this new series. The more we learn about the characters we can expect to see in DC’s “Peacemaker” series, the more excited the DC fandom gets for the premiere.
Fans don’t have long to wait. In the meantime, keep checking back with BuddyTV for all the news and updates related to “Peacemaker” and all of your favorite DC shows and movies.
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
