James Gunn Could Make Second Suicide Squad Spin-Off, Peacemaker Season 2 Is Likely
Director James Gunn isn't going to be done with the DC Universe anytime soon. Not only did the eccentric filmmaker receive near-universal praise for his part in transforming Harley Quinn and the rest of her Suicide Squad into a more emotional, violent, and surprisingly effective critique of United States foreign policy with last year's "The Suicide Squad," but he also rescued the franchise's critical reception along the way. With his HBO Max spin-off series "Peacemaker" continuing to keep viewers enthralled each week, it makes perfect sense that Warner Bros. would want to stay in the James Gunn business.
According to a new report, fans can look forward to two more Gunn projects in the works, both on the small screen. First, the "Guardians of the Galaxy" director confirms that a new "The Suicide Squad" spin-off series is currently in development, separate from the ongoing "Peacemaker" show. And speaking of which, the second big piece of news concerns the potential continuing adventures of Peacemaker and his supporting cast of characters — that's right, we may only be five episodes into "Peacemaker," but there's apparently "a really good chance" of the show receiving the official green light for a second season.
This exciting news comes courtesy of Deadline, who spoke with Gunn directly during a recent podcast appearance while, funny enough, speaking from the set of "Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3." Though light on specific details, Gunn had this to say about the next spin-off series in the works:
"We're working on something else now, another TV show that's connected to that universe. I can't quite say."
Deadline reports that Gunn first got the wheels in motion, approaching HBO Max with his idea for a new potential storyline following a different character from "The Suicide Squad." (Presumably one who actually survived the events of the film, though that's only speculation on my part!) The article describes the project as "...in the embryonic stages with nothing written or greenlit, but HBO Max are said to be high on it based on Gunn's enthusiasm for the idea."
Additionally, though HBO Max had no comment, Gunn went ahead and admitted that the prospects of "Peacemaker" season 2 are looking optimistic, saying, "There's a really good chance of that." Read on for all the details!
Ratcatcher. Spin-off. Now. Please?
Start getting those speculation gears turning, folks. Though few could've ever anticipated that James Gunn would end up playing such a wide-ranging role in shaping the DC Universe, it's safe to say that most viewers (aside from a few bad eggs here and there) couldn't be more thrilled to see Gunn fully let off his leash among the absolute weirdest and some of the most periphery DC (anti) heroes. It's anyone's guess which "The Suicide Squad" character will end up leading this new spin-off series, like the fan-favorite Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), though don't expect Gunn to help any of us out at such an early juncture. When asked about possible candidates such as Peter Capaldi's Thinker, Gunn responded with a slightly more revealing tidbit about what fans can expect:
"I can't say anything. It is connected to this universe, and I don't think it will be the same genre as 'Peacemaker;' it won't be as much a comedy as 'Peacemaker,' but it will be in the same universe."
This will be good news for anyone who isn't on the same wavelength as Gunn's particularly idiosyncratic sense of humor, and even better news for those who are fans of his grasp of drama and pathos. Gunn goes on to describe the increasing possibility of "Peacemaker" receiving a second season as, more or less, a fait accompli. As he puts it:
"The show is doing extraordinarily well, and we're excited, we all like doing it, we just need to crossed some T's and dot some I's, which is basically me."
That means more John Cena underwear, more Eagly, and more general mayhem for fans who can't get enough of "Peacemaker" thus far. It's James Gunn's DC world and we're just living in it, people! Stay tuned to /Film as more details come in.