Peacemaker Season 2: 100 % Rotten Tomatoes, Cast, Release, Budget

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  .