Perfect Reception: 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
Peacemaker: Season 2 debuted to raving reviews, achieving a perfect 100% Tomatometer with 35 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes . Early aggregated coverage noted 30 reviews also yielding 100%, with a Metacritic score of 78/100—a marked improvement over Season 1’s 70/100 . Critics praised the balance of heart, humor, and depth, with Rolling Stone noting the season “focuses on the man underneath the bucket helmet, Chris Smith” .
Release & Format
- Premiere Date: August 21, 2025, on HBO Max/Max .
- Episode Count: 8 episodes, airing weekly (first episode “The Ties That Grind” directed and written by James Gunn) .
Cast & Characters Returning stars:
- John Cena as Peacemaker / Christopher Smith
- Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick
New additions:
- Frank Grillo (Rick Flag Sr.), Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Tim Meadows among others
Also featuring cameos from the DCU film Superman universe:
- Isabela Merced (Hawkgirl), Nathan Fillion (Green Lantern), Sean Gunn (Maxwell Lord) .
Plot & DCU Integration
This season transitions Peacemaker from the DCEU into the rebooted DCU, following events in Superman (2025)—with the story set roughly one month after Superman’s events . The plot introduces a multiversal portal (Quantum Unfolding Chamber), brings back familiar characters, and explores emotional arcs tied to redemption and identity .
Filming & Production Details
- Ordered: February 2022; all episodes written by James Gunn .
- Filming: Took place at Trilith Studios, Atlanta, from April to November 2024. Gunn directed multiple episodes; Greg Mottola and Peter Sollett helmed others .
Budget
Reported production budget: $38 million .
Highlights That Shine
- Seamless tone shift: retains the comedy-action heart of Season 1 while deepening emotional layers and exploring Multiverse chaos .
- Critics call it “another excellent exercise in world-building… even better than the first season” (ComicBook.com) .
- Rolling Stone praises its focus on Chris Smith, offering a more introspective, grounded take on the character .
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Feature |
Details |
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Rotten Tomatoes |
100% critics, 35 reviews |
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Release Date |
August 21, 2025 |
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Budget |
$38 million |
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Episodes |
8 total |
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Cast |
John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, Sol RodrÃguez, Tim Meadows + DCU cameos |
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Plot & Universe |
Set in DCU after Superman, includes multiverse elements |
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Filming |
April -Nov 2024, Atlanta |