Peacemaker: James Gunn Swats Away A Bat-Mite Season 2 Theory

DC's cinematic universe will get a fresh start with the upcoming "Superman: Legacy," which will be written and directed by James Gunn. But Gunn, along with co-DC head Peter Safran, aren't leaving everything behind from the old regime. Gunn has admitted on Threads there will be a few familiar faces within the new DC movies, writing that "Xolo Maridueña will continue playing Blue Beetle in the DCU, as Viola Davis will Amanda Waller, and John Cena will Peacemaker." That means fans can look forward to another season of "Peacemaker" without too many shake-ups. Gunn, however, has already dashed one dream of a fan-favorite DC character making an appearance.

On a separate post on Threads, Gunn was asked whether Bat-Mite, an interdimensional imp obsessed with Batman, would appear in "Peacemaker" Season 2. Gunn replied, "As much as you know I love Bat-Mite, no." Gunn later elaborated on the social media platform: "Simply because the story for season 2 has nothing to do with Bat-Mite!"

The question didn't come out of thin air — Bat-Mite was referenced in the second episode of "Peacemaker" when John (Steve Agee) tells Peacemaker (John Cena), "I'd rather be with f***ing Bat-Mite than you." It confirms that Bat-Mite exists in this universe and is well-known enough for the general population to know who he is. Alas, he won't receive a proper live-action introduction just yet. 

It's understandable that James Gunn hasn't included Bat-Mite in "Peacemaker" Season 2. If the character were going to factor into a future DC project, it would likely be preferable for him to pop up in something more related to Batman. However, many fans believed the character would be the perfect way to explain how some characters are the same across cinematic universes while others are different. 

When Gunn's recent comments made their way to Reddit, u/Pomojema_The_Dreamer thought it was a missed opportunity, writing, "Drat it. Would've been a nice way to explain the 'reboot' or whatever." Threads user @dawson.corlies was in the same boat: "i really thought bat mite would have been in there simply to crossover peacemaker to DCU. now i have to think of more theories lol." Bat-Mite's main power is reality-bending, meaning he can warp the fabric of existence to his whim, granting superpowers where he sees fit. It also means he theoretically could've functioned as an exposition machine for viewers who may be confused about the state of the DC universe in TV and film. 

Even if Bat-Mite is absent from "Peacemaker" Season 2, there will be plenty of opportunities for him to jump over to the film side of DC. There will be multiple "Batman" franchises running concurrently, with "The Batman Part II" in the works as well as a new take on the character with "The Brave and the Bold," which just so happens to share a name with the Cartoon Network series where Bat-Mite was a recurring character.