John Cena says Peacemaker is not a priority in James Gunn’s DCU for now
John Cena says Peacemaker is on the back burner while James Gunn builds out the DCU. He wants to keep playing Chris Smith as long as Gunn needs him.
Cena also made it clear he is not done with Chris Smith. He said he wants to keep wearing the helmet as long as James Gunn needs him.
The actor added that he has not been back in costume since the latest Peacemaker episodes, which aired in October last year.
What happened
In an interview, John Cena said that Peacemaker is currently taking a back seat while James Gunn works on the wider DCU plans. According to Cena, Gunn’s focus is first on establishing the major DC characters that will carry the new franchise. Reporting specifically names Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman as characters Gunn wants to further develop within the universe.
That does not mean the door is closed for Peacemaker. Cena stressed that he is open to returning as Chris Smith and is willing to keep playing the character as long as Gunn wants him to. He framed the situation as one of timing and priority, not a definitive farewell to the role.
Cena also said he has not worn the character’s costume since the latest Peacemaker episodes, which were released in October last year. He did not give any firm details about a return, a shoot date or a possible third season. For now, the reporting does not describe Peacemaker as cancelled, but clearly pushed further down the DCU priority list.
The interview context also lines up with Gunn’s broader work on the new DCU. The source references Gunn’s earlier collaboration with Cena on The Suicide Squad in 2021, which was followed by Peacemaker as a series. That partnership still forms the basis of Cena’s role as Chris Smith, even though there is currently no official release date or green light for a new season.
Timeline
2021: James Gunn first works with John Cena on The Suicide Squad, leading to Peacemaker as a follow-up project.
October last year: the latest Peacemaker episodes are released; according to Cena, he has not been in costume as the character since.
2025: James Gunn directs Superman, as noted in the source, while continuing to build out the wider DCU.
2027: Man of Tomorrow is scheduled for release in 2027, according to the source.
Today: John Cena says Peacemaker is not a priority for now, but that he wants to keep playing Chris Smith as long as Gunn needs him.
Background
Peacemaker became its own series after The Suicide Squad, with John Cena playing Chris Smith. The current reporting places the show within James Gunn’s broader DCU plans, where Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman also play a role. That means Peacemaker is not being treated as separate from the rest of the universe, but as a title that has to move with DC Studios’ larger schedule.
The source stresses that there is currently no official release date or green light for Peacemaker season 3. That is an important distinction from cancellation: in the reporting, the series is mainly described as something that is not at the top of Gunn’s priority list for now. The provided context also notes that available reporting agrees season 3 is not currently a priority, but that there has been no confirmed statement that the series has been shut down.
John Cena’s role also remains intact at its core. His comments make clear that he is not saying he is finished with the character, but rather that he is open to returning when Gunn has room for it. That fits the broader DCU approach described in the source: establish the big building blocks of the universe first, then look at projects that are less urgent.
The reporting also notes that Gunn is directing Superman in 2025 and that Man of Tomorrow is due in 2027, according to the source. That schedule helps explain why Peacemaker has to wait for now. The series remains part of the DCU, but without any concrete confirmation of a next chapter or a production start for a new season.
Sources
- IGN: Peacemaker taking a backseat as James Gunn builds out the DCU, John Cena says