Is Peacemaker season 2 in the DCU and is season 1 canon? Let's break down the HBO Max show's confusing place in James Gunn's DC universe

Is Peacemaker season 2 in the DCU? Despite canon being one of the more complicated topics in James Gunn's rebooted DC universe and Peacemaker season 1 technically being part of the DCEU, the answer is (slightly) more straightforward than you might have expected.

In fact, most of your continuity-shaped answers arrive within the first few minutes of the Peacemaker season 2 premiere. Below, we'll run you through those key answers to your burning DCU canon questions – including what DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has mentioned to date.

Spoilers for Peacemaker season 2 follow.

Is Peacemaker season 2 canon in the DCU?

Yes – and this one isn't up for debate. Peacemaker season 2 is fully part of James Gunn's new DCU, and continues on from the events of both Creature Commandos and Superman, most notably through the character of Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), who has appeared in all three projects of DCU Chapter One.

Is Peacemaker season 1 canon in the DCU?

Most of Peacemaker season 1 is canon, though some elements have been tweaked to better fit with the DCU's story moving forward.

In the past, Gunn has addressed his philosophy towards continuity from the DCU and the DCEU. In short, the DCU isn't a completely cut-off reboot from past shows such as Peacemaker season 1 or movies like The Suicide Squad. Whatever is mentioned moving forward is now canon in the DCU, while the rest can seemingly be jettisoned off and disregarded.

"There are references to things that happened in the past. And those references then become canon in the DCU because we mention them," Gunn said at New York Comic Con last year.

Helpfully, the Peacemaker season 2 premiere begins with a 'Previously in the DCU' segment to help get everyone up to speed on what is and isn't canon – and it follows Gunn's vow to a tee.

For the most part, Peacemaker season 1 hasn't changed. That includes Peacemaker's tragic killing of his brother, Keith, as well as the supporting cast of Harcourt, Adebayo, Vigilante, John Economos, and Eagly backing up John Cena's anti-hero in both the mystery surrounding Project Butterfly and the festering hatred he holds for his father, Auggie, whom he later shoots dead.

The key difference involves the arrival of the Justice Gang in the season one finale, not the DCEU's Justice League. Here, the group consists of Superman, Supergirl, Mr. Terrific, Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl. The latter two heroes have their own fresh dialogue, too, with the Green Lantern complaining that Peacemaker is spreading rumors about Guy being into puke. In the original version, that's Aquaman being way too into fish.

To hammer the point home, Guy, Hawkgirl, and Sean Gunn's Maxwell Lord also show up in the premiere in a skin-crawlingly awkward scene that involves Peacemaker interviewing for a spot on the super-group.

Further to the events depicted in the Peacemaker season 2 opening, Gunn has also teased that the new series is integral to what's still to come in the DCU.

"Superman leads into this show and then we have the setting up of all of the rest of the DCU in this season of Peacemaker, it's incredibly important," Gunn explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

For more on Peacemaker, check out our Peacemaker season 2 review. Then, dive into what's to come next with our guide on upcoming DC movies.