It’s been quite a while since we caught up with Christopher Smith and the rest of the 11th Street Kids. Peacemaker Season 2 is finally set to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, 3-and-a-half years since we saw John Cena’s anti-hero and his buddies take down Project Butterfly. Critics were given five of the eight Season 2 episodes ahead of the upcoming DC TV show’s August 21 premiere, so what do they think of James Gunn’s newest project?
Fans are undoubtedly curious to find out how Season 2 fits into the DCU timeline, and admittedly, James Gunn’s view gets a little confusing because Peacemaker Season 1 is not included in the canon. However, there’s no need to worry, according to Nate Richard of Collider, who says Peacemaker Season 2 quickly sets the record straight before recapturing what made us fall in love with the series in the first place. The critic rates it a 9 out of 10, writing:
From the new opening dance number alone (which somehow is able to top the infectious Season 1 opening, set to Wig Wam's ‘Do You Wanna Taste It’), Peacemaker Season 2 is a more soulful installment than the first. Yes, there's an orgy scene that is so graphic that it might make The Boys blush, but past that, Gunn is fully in his element when making us care even more about these characters.
Danielle Ryan of SlashFilm also gives the first five episodes a 9 out of 10, saying the brutal fight scenes, killer needle-drops and edgy jokes are still here, but Season 2 dives deeper and darker into the lives of the 11th Street Kids. Ryan says:
What makes Peacemaker so great is that even in these moments, the kinship and love of the 11th Street Kids feels real. No matter how dark things get (and they get pretty dark), the bonds between these seriously screwed up sorta-superheroes run deep. Gunn has been telling stories about found families of misfits his whole career, but the 11th Street Kids might be the crew that matter most. We'll have to see how he sticks the landing and where things go after the rather large cliffhanger at the end of episode 5, but for now, Peacemaker is back, baby, and it still kicks major ass.
Bob Strauss of The Wrap echoes the above sentiment, saying that every character’s story is more poignant, but Peacemaker doesn’t lose any of the gags or gore. James Gunn even finds emotional resonance in the multiverse concept (because yes, we’re dipping into parallel universes now) in a way Marvel has so far failed to do. It’s John Cena’s performance, though, that sticks out most to Strauss, who writes:
Having indeed played Peacemaker as a fool in earlier shows, pro wrestler Cena nails this season’s emotional and moral complexities with the aplomb of an Actors Studio graduate. That hangdog face, so purpose-built for looking stupid, now expresses longing, regret, determination and ever-so-tentative joy in subtle yet unerring ways. As a consequence, all of the ridiculously tragic experiences Chris poorly coped with before are revisited with powerful dramatic impact this time. Cena’s bruising action moves and tossed off one-liners are still impressive, but the most thrilling part of this performance is the way he makes this Super fully Human.
Amon Warmann of Empire agrees, calling John Cena’s performance some of his best acting to date. He consistently is able to balance his character’s silliness with his vulnerability, making for laugh-out-loud moments but also plenty of poignant ones that will resonate with the audience. Warmann says:
Expectations were high for the show entering its second season, which makes it all the more impressive that it’s exceeded them, building on its impressive foundation by deepening our connection to Christopher Smith (John Cena) and his found family of misfits. The updated and still amusingly goofy opening credits are the season in microcosm: more ambitious, more complex, and absolutely unskippable.
Will Salmon of GamesRadar addresses fans’ wariness to enter a DC multiverse, writing that James Gunn is smart in using it to focus further on Christopher Smith. This season is darker and sadder than the first, but there’s still tons of silliness and stupidity — the critic shouts out Tim Meadows’ Langston Fleury as “the season’s most reliably amusing character.” Salmon gives the series so far 3.5 out of 5 stars:
Peacemaker has always felt like the most personal of James Gunn's various superhero projects. There's a deep sincerity here that, combined with Cena's vulnerable, wounded performance, makes for an often genuinely moving show. Season 2 builds on that without abandoning the laughs, shocks, and essential silliness that made it so much fun in the first place. … That Gunn has found a way to make a parallel universe storyline in a superhero project both engaging and unpredictable in 2025 is impressive.
This is really good news for fans who have waited so long to see John Cena return with the rest of the Peacemaker Season 2 cast, including Danielle Brooks as Adebayo; Freddie Stroma as Vigilante; Jennifer Holland as Harcourt; and Steve Agee as Economos. Season 1 is available to stream now with an HBO Max subscription, while Season 2 will release weekly episodes on the streaming site beginning at 9 p.m. ET Thursday, August 21.
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