James Gunn recently sat down with People magazine to delve into the second season of his DC Universe series, Peacemaker, casting light on the show's intricate ties to the expansive DC Universe. Among the pivotal topics he explored was the incorporation of cameo appearances, notably those featuring his brother, Sean Gunn, alongside recognizable faces from the Superman film.
In the show's tantalizing teaser trailer, John Cena's Peacemaker can be seen auditioning to become a member of the Justice Gang, flanked by Hawkgirl (played by Isabela Merced), Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), and Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion). According to Gunn, the inclusion of these characters was dictated by the narrative's demands. "For this series, it was fundamentally about what served the story of Peacemaker," he elucidates. The scene vividly captures the Justice Gang's vibrant dynamic, with James humorously noting that Mr. Terrific (Edi Gathegi) was excluded because he is "too composed and overly amiable" for the group's harsh, witty exchanges.
The director also imparted his rationale behind continuing Peacemaker's journey into a second season. "I perceive the first season of Peacemaker as the character coming to terms with the demons that have fueled and propelled him throughout his life," he reveals. Conversely, the second season witnesses Peacemaker confronting these demons head-on. James Gunn sensed that there was more to the tale to be told, and the show's seamless transition from the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) to the new DCU necessitated merely "a handful of minor adjustments."
When inquired about this transition, James Gunn elucidated that Peacemaker "was never firmly rooted in any universe" to commence with, facilitating the bridging between the two iterations of DC characters. He facetiously compared it to "removing a few screws" and "installing a couple of new ones" to ensure everything ran smoothly. The Justice Gang cameo stands as a testament to how the show interweaves with the broader DC Universe, including the Superman film, which fleetingly features John Cena's Peacemaker.
The Peacemaker series is not the solitary venture where James Gunn has collaborated with his brother, Sean. Sean Gunn has graced various James Gunn-directed endeavors, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy films and The Suicide Squad. Their partnership spans into the DCU, with Sean starring in Creature Commandos, a creation penned and conceptualized by James.
