James Gunn Almost Brought Deadpool to Peacemaker Season 2

Hold onto your helmets! James Gunn recently dropped a bombshell, revealing he seriously considered a Ryan Reynolds-led Deadpool cameo in the wild Peacemaker Season 2 finale, and Ryan was even game for it!

TL;DR: The Quick Scoop on Peacemaker's Wild Ride

James Gunn and Ryan Reynolds discussed a Deadpool cameo in the Peacemaker Season 2 finale, but complex legal hurdles prevented it.
The finale saw Peacemaker trapped in "Salvation," a multiversal metahuman prison, while his team formed a new agency called "Checkmate."
While Peacemaker Season 3 isn't currently planned, Gunn confirms the characters and concepts of Salvation and Checkmate are vital to the future DCU, potentially linking to projects like Man of Tomorrow and Lanterns.

The Peacemaker Season 2 finale, "Full Nelson," just hit Max, and it's left fans with a lot to chew on. From Nazi-laden multiverses to a major cliffhanger for our favorite anti-hero, Christopher Smith, it was a wild ride. But as if the episode wasn't packed enough, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn recently spilled some serious tea during a virtual press conference: we almost got a Marvel character making a surprise appearance!

The Mind-Blowing Marvel Cameo That Almost Was in Peacemaker

Imagine this: Peacemaker and his crew are zipping through multiversal doorways using the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, peering into all sorts of bizarre dimensions—a zombie-infested early America, a terrifying candy land with ravenous imps, you name it. But according to James Gunn, one of those doors almost revealed something truly unexpected: Ryan Reynolds's wise-cracking Merc with a Mouth, Deadpool!

Gunn confirmed he actually chatted with Reynolds about the possibility, and get this: Ryan was totally on board! "Yeah, I wanted them to open the door and see Deadpool in a room," Gunn reportedly laughed, adding, "And I talked to Ryan Reynolds about it, but I think we would've had to go through some pretty, pretty big hoops to do that! He wanted to do it!"

"That's all anybody's going to talk about now is fing Deadpool in the other room. I should have never said it!"

— James Gunn, DC Studios Co-CEO

While the idea of seeing Deadpool in a DC show would've broken the internet (and probably several legal departments), the sheer complexity of getting Disney's Marvel character into a Warner Bros. DC production proved too much, even for Gunn and Reynolds. Still, the fact that such a conversation even happened is a massive hint about the evolving landscape of superhero cinema and the potential for unexpected crossovers down the line.

Decoding the Peacemaker Season 2 Finale's Shocking Cliffhanger

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So, what did happen in the finale without the Merc with a Mouth? Well, a whole lot! While the season's main Nazi-multiverse storyline mostly wrapped up in Episode 7, the final episode, "Full Nelson," was all about setting up what's next for Peacemaker and the wider DCU.

The episode saw Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) reveal his true intentions for exploring the multiverse: finding "Salvation," a world he envisions as an inescapable prison for metahumans, with an assist from none other than Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). The finale took a dark turn for Christopher Smith when Flag Sr. abducted him and made him Salvation's first prisoner, a chilling act of revenge for Peacemaker killing Rick Flag Jr. in The Suicide Squad.

Meanwhile, Peacemaker's found family – Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), Economos (Steve Agee), Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), Judo Master, Sasha Bordeaux, and Langston Fleury – seemingly abandoned their A.R.G.U.S. roles to form a new covert agency: "Checkmate." So, Peacemaker is trapped, and his team has gone rogue. Talk about a cliffhanger!

What's Next for Peacemaker and the Broader DC Universe?

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That massive ending has fans desperate for a Peacemaker Season 3, but Gunn has cooled expectations, at least for now. He confirmed that a third season isn't currently in development. However, he left the door open, saying, "That doesn't mean that there won't be [another season]. I don't want to never say never, but right now, no, this is about the future of the DCU. It's an important character."

Gunn emphasized Peacemaker's importance to him personally (even getting emotional drawing parallels between Chris Smith and his late father) and to the new DCU. He aims to make smaller characters like Peacemaker into "diamond properties."

Here's what we know about how these finale events tie into the DCU's future:

Salvation & Man of Tomorrow: The metahuman prison world, "Salvation," will play a role in the upcoming 2027 Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, which will heavily feature Lex Luthor. Gunn assures film-only viewers won't need to watch Peacemaker to understand the context of Salvation in that movie.
Checkmate's Role: The newly formed "Checkmate" agency is also "instrumental" to the DCU's overarching story. Expect to see them carry through into future projects, possibly including the Lanterns series, which Gunn says is "very connected."
The "Waller" Show: The planned series focusing on Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is facing a "rough road" in the script-writing process and isn't greenlit yet, but Gunn hopes Davis will remain a part of the DCU.
Rick Flag Sr.: His actions in Peacemaker S2 will also have repercussions, potentially influencing Creature Commandos Season 2, where Gunn revealed Flag Sr. isn't exactly the "good guy" he might seem.

Gunn stressed that he's adapting the core premises of these comic book elements rather than direct storylines, allowing for creative freedom while building a cohesive universe.

Understanding the History of Marvel and DC Crossover Dreams

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The idea of a Marvel and DC crossover isn't new; comic fans have dreamt about it for decades. The two publishers have crossed over in print a few times, giving us iconic moments like Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man, X-Men/Teen Titans, and even the bizarre Amalgam Universe that blended characters (hello, Dr. Strangefate!). On screen, there have been subtle nods, like Aunt May telling Peter Parker he's not Superman, or Vigilante doing the Spider-Man meme with his Earth-X counterpart.

What makes Gunn's revelation so exciting is his unique position. He's famously directed Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy before taking the helm at DC Studios. This means he has deep connections and respect on both sides of the superhero aisle, making him one of the few people who could genuinely float such an audacious idea. While the legal "hoops" between massive corporations like Disney and Warner Bros. are indeed monumental, Gunn's willingness to even discuss a Deadpool cameo shows that the impossible might just be inching closer to "eventually."

Frequently Asked Questions About Peacemaker and DCU's Future

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Will there be a Peacemaker Season 3, and when might it be released? Currently, Peacemaker Season 3 is not in development. However, James Gunn has said "never say never" and that Peacemaker remains an important character for the DCU, hinting his story will continue in other projects. Where can I watch Peacemaker Seasons 1 & 2? Both seasons of Peacemaker are available to stream on HBO Max (now simply Max). What is "Salvation" and "Checkmate" in the DCU? "Salvation" is an alternate dimension that Rick Flag Sr. (with Lex Luthor's influence) intends to use as a metahuman prison. "Checkmate" is a new covert agency formed by Peacemaker's team. Both concepts are confirmed to be instrumental to the future overarching story of the DCU. How will Peacemaker's story connect to future DCU movies like Man of Tomorrow? The "Salvation" concept will be featured in 2027's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow. While Peacemaker's direct fate might be addressed, Gunn ensures viewers won't need prior knowledge from the series to understand its role in the movie.