After he killed Rick Flag, it's fair to say none of us were too upset when Peacemaker was gunned down by Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad. A post-credits scene confirmed that Christopher Smith survived his injuries, and we've since learned there's more to the character than meets the eye in Peacemaker.
While the series was announced before The Suicide Squad arrived in theaters, John Cena has now admitted that he never actually expected to return to the role in the DC Extended Universe.
"We saw a little bit of debut of a man who will keep peace at any cost in The Suicide Squad, and I guess James Gunn thought there was a story to be told around that ethos and around that character," Cena told HBO Max's Podly: The Peacemaker Podcast. "I thought The Suicide Squad would be the last time we saw Peacemaker, but here he is in Peacemaker the series."
Peacemaker has proved that Smith isn't all bad, and vastly more layered and interesting than his comic book counterpart. This might explain why the WWE Superstar turned actor decided against diving into the source material while preparing for both The Suicide Squad and this spinoff series.
"I did not read any comics before, or during, production," Cena noted. "Here is my why: because the very first thing I did when I got the job, I shook James Gunn's hand and said, 'Do you want me to get every comic or periodical or anything about Peacemaker and study up? He's like, 'No. The reason I've chosen Peacemaker is because many different artists have given different interpretations of Peacemaker. This is a great character, so it's up to us to crack it.'"
James Gunn has talked a lot about his hopes for Peacemaker season 2, and given what a beloved character Smith has become since we've seen he's more than just a jerk in a shiny helmet, his continuing adventures would be welcomed by fans. There's been no word on viewing figures as HBO Max doesn't disclose them, but reviews have been positive, so we're betting this corner of the DCEU will continue to be explored.
The Peacemaker finale arrives this Thursday!
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