Will Peacemaker Take Place Before Or After The Suicide Squad?

James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" was neither a reboot nor a sequel to the 2016 film of the same name — sans the "The" — and it introduced DCEU fans to a slew of new characters. Each newcomer was unique and brought their own special something to the film. While Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) were all fan-favorites, one character viewers couldn't stop talking about was Peacemaker (John Cena).

The self-righteous patriot turned on his team in the finale and killed Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) to obtain documents about Project Starfish. Peacemaker is subsequently crushed by Joutenheim as it collapses on him but also suffers a gunshot wound thanks to Bloodsport (Idris Elba). After Gunn announced there would be a "Peacemaker" series, many wondered if it would take place before or after "The Suicide Squad." Will it serve as an origin story to the complicated character, or will it attempt to woo fans back on the cheering side of Peacemaker?

During the "Peacemaker" FanDome panel with the cast of the series and James Gunn, it was revealed that the show will take place after the events of "The Suicide Squad." The director also confirmed the timeline on Twitter, putting the mystery debate to rest. This means "Peacemaker" is post-Starro, post-Joutenheim collapse, and post-Rick Flag murder. Fans of the deceased colonel will have to get over the hero's tragic death in the film if they want to enjoy "Peacemaker" in all its glory.

The first teaser trailer for the series kicks off with Peacemaker, aka Christopher Smith, in a hospital gown, so it looks like things are picking up exactly where the mid-credits scene of "The Suicide Squad" left off. From the looks of John Cena's character, he appears to be fully healed after his injuries that were quite severe. There is not a scratch, bruise, or bandage insight which suggests the series will pick up after or near the end of Peacemaker's hospital stay. Of course, we could still see some of the immediate aftermath of the building collapse and maybe some of Christopher's recovery. Whether there will be flashbacks remains to be seen.

"Peacemaker" debuts on HBO Max on January 13, 2022.