If you’re new to the DCEU, just starting out, just want to check out Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad because of peer pressure, or simply to know what the hype is all about, you’ve come to the right place.
Before watching any show or film which is part of a vast franchise, it is a headache to figure out the correct order of watching. That is why I am here to help. As of now, let us focus on the film The Suicide Squad and the series Peacemaker.
Peacemaker is a spin-off series of The Suicide Squad, so it is recommended to watch The Suicide Squad before watching Peacemaker. However, it is not essential to watch the film before watching Peacemaker, as creator James Gunn himself has also confirmed.
Which One Should You Watch First?
If you ask me, you can watch them any way you want. It does not make a huge difference. As per James Gunn, the creator of Peacemaker, the series is a spiritual sequel to The Suicide Squad, and so, not a direct sequel for which you need to follow continuity.
Peacemaker (played by John Cena) first appeared in The Suicide Squad, so his story in the series is naturally a continuation from what we saw in The Suicide Squad.
Despite everything, it is not essential to watch one to understand another. Gunn himself explained on Twitter to a fan that it is not necessary to watch The Suicide Squad before Peacemaker, as they “fill you in at the beginning of the show.”
So in other words, you can take your pick about which one to watch first. However, if you want to stick to the chronological order, I would recommend watching The Suicide Squad before Peacemaker.
Why Did Peacemaker Get a Spin-off?
This is a question many of us have had—why was Peacemaker the character to get his own spin-off show? Well, Gunn has an answer for that too.
According to Gunn, while all the other members of The Suicide Squad have a proper character arc in the film from beginning to end, Peacemaker remains a jerk from the beginning to the end. So, he seemed to be the perfect choice for further character exploration.
In other words, Suicide Squad did have some character development for the other members of the team while Peacemaker did not have any. I would say Gunn’s reasoning makes sense.
What to Remember from The Suicide Squad Before Watching Peacemaker?
In The Suicide Squad, we are first introduced to Peacemaker aka Christopher Smith, who is the protagonist in the series.
In The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker kills his own idol Rick Flag as per the orders given by Amanda Waller. However, just after that, he is shot by Bloodsport and we also see an entire building falling on him. So, he is supposed to be dead, right?
Enter post-credits scenes! Here, we see John and Emilia, Waller’s sidekicks walking through a hospital. It is then revealed that Christopher Smith has survived his injuries and escaped death.
This is all The Suicide Squad tells us about Smith. Peacemaker is set about five months after the events of The Suicide Squad when Smith has completely recovered from his injuries and is ready to be discharged from the hospital.
Now, the events of The Suicide Squad, such as Smith killing his own hero and being defeated will definitely have an impact on the storyline of Peacemaker. But the show has its own explanations within the episodes themselves, so The Suicide Squad is still not exactly essential viewing before venturing into the series.
About Peacemaker
Peacemaker is a DC Extended Universe series that will delve into the past of the titular character, who’ll make his cinematic debut in James Gunn’s DCEU film, The Suicide Squad (2021). The character will be portrayed by John Cena, who will reprise his role in the HBO Max series.
Other cast members include Steve Agee, Danielle Brooks, Robert Patrick, Chris Conrad, and Chukwudi Iwuji among many others.
James Gunn will also helm the HBO Max series for its second season.
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