Even before John Cena's Peacemaker became a stand-out in the critically acclaimed 2021 DC film The Suicide Squad, writer/director James Gunn wanted to make a spinoff series about the self-righteous Captain America parody.
Initially, Gunn wrote Peacemaker "mostly for fun" while he was in quarantine but decided to move forward with the project after DC asked him if there was a Suicide Squad character he would want to give a spinoff to. “Peacemaker is an opportunity to delve into current world issues through the lens of this superhero/supervillain/and world’s biggest douchebag," said Gunn when the show was first announced in September of 2020. "I’m excited to expand The Suicide Squad and bring this character from the DC film universe to the full breadth of a series. And of course, to be able to work again with John, Peter, and my friends at Warner Bros. is the icing on the cake.”
We've created a handy guide that will answer several questions about watching Peacemaker including where you can watch it, when it's available, and if you should keep an eye out for a second season.
Where is Peacemaker Streaming Online?
Peacemaker will be available for streaming exclusively on HBO Max. This link directs you to the show's landing page, which you can bookmark for now and come back once the series premieres.
If you'd rather not watch Peacemaker on your computer, an HBO Max app is available on smartphones as well on smart TV devices such as Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast.
Can You Watch Peacemaker Without HBO Max?
Unfortunately, no. If you plan to watch Peacemaker, you will need a subscription to HBO Max. An HBO Max subscription comes in two plans: a subscription with ads for $9.99 per month and a subscription without ads for $14.99 per month.
You can also try HBO Max free for one week with Hulu before having to pay $14.99 per month. Keep in mind each episode of Peacemaker isn't premiering at once so if you're only using this trial to watch the show, then plan accordingly. You can also access HBO Max for free with a cable or internet provider that already includes HBO. Click this link to learn more.
When Does Peacemaker Premiere?
The first three episodes of Peacemaker will hit HBO Max on January 13, 2022. After that, a new episode will premiere weekly on Thursday until the finale.
How Many Episodes Does Peacemaker Have?
Peacemaker has eight episodes in its first season. The current episodes are as follows:
- Episode 1: "A Whole New Whirled"
- Episode 2: "Best Friends Never"
- Episode 3: "Better Goff Dead"
- Episode 4: "The Choad Less Traveled"
- Episode 5: "Monkey Dory"
- Episode 6: "Murn After Reading"
- Episode 7: "Stop Dragon My Heart Around"
- Episode 8: "It's Cow or Never"
Gunn wrote all eight episodes and will serve as an executive producer on the series alongside Cena and Peter Safran. Gunn will also direct the first three episodes as well as the sixth and eighth. Brad Anderson (The Machinist) will direct the seventh episode while Jody Hill (The Righteous Gemstones) and Rosemary Rodriguez (The Walking Dead) will each direct the remaining two.
When Is the Peacemaker Season 1 Finale?
The finale episode of Peacemaker Season 1 will be available to stream on February 17, 2022.
How Long Is Each Episode of Peacemaker?
When Gunn spoke to Collider in July 2021, he revealed the average length of each Peacemaker episode:
"They're more like 40-something minutes. They vary. Some are longer than others and some are shorter. But basically, I was kind of in the range of what is your actual, traditional hour-long, which is between 40 and 44 minutes."
Bottom line: Peacemaker won't be too difficult of a watch since each episode is barely forty minutes.
What Is Peacemaker About?
This series is both a sequel and an origin story if that makes any sense. It takes place after the events of The Suicide Squad and follows Christopher Smith a.k.a. Peacemaker as he is recruited for a black-ops assassination team to stop a global threat simply known as the Butterflies. This series will also give audiences a better understanding of why Peacemaker is willing to kill anyone for peace--hence the show being a sequel and an origin story.
Here's the official synopsis from HBO Max:
PEACEMAKER explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of executive producer James Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it!
Who Are the Supporting Characters in Peacemaker
Peacemaker isn't the only major player in this series. Steve Agee and Jennifer Holland will reprise their respective roles from The Suicide Squad, John Economos and Emilia Harcourt. Both characters are aides to Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), the commanding officer of Task Force X, that eventually betray her and are forced to work with Peacemaker as a result.
Gunn created several new characters for this show including new agent Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), who Gunn said has a "very different political view" from Peacemaker, and hardened mercenary Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji), who Waller hires to lead this new team of unlikely heroes.
Robert Patrick, best known for playing the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, will also play August "Auggie" Smith, Peacemaker's father who helped him develop his twisted idea of peace.
Moreover, Peacemaker won't be the only costumed character on the show. Harry Potter alum Freddie Stroma will play Adrian Chase a.k.a. Viligante, a restaurant busboy who secretly works as a sadistic crimefighter that just so happens to idolize Peacemaker. The crew will go up against Judomaster (Nhut Le), who weirdly is portrayed as a hero in the comics. Hopefully, it will all make sense with context.
Do You Have to Watch The Suicide Squad before Peacemaker?
Considering that Peacemaker is somewhat of a sequel to The Suicide Squad, you probably watch the latter before you see the former. Luckily, you can find The Suicide Squad on Blu-Ray, digital download, and HBO Max.
If you need a refresher or just want to get right into Peacemaker, check out this hilarious recap of what happened to the titular protagonist. This recap is provided by Cena as Peacemaker and Holland as Harcourt:
Will There Be A Season 2?
Although Warner Bros. has not yet officially announced a second season for Peacemaker, Gunn has revealed that he is currently involved in working on another TV project for DC after the series. He also told Entertainment Weekly in September of 2021 that he would be interested in continuing Peacemaker.