James Gunn adds Frank Grillo to 'Peacemaker' Season 2 cast
Frank Grillo, recognized for his portrayal of Crossbones in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is set to join the cast of James Gunn's DC series Peacemaker for its second season. The announcement was made by DC Studios co-CEO Gunn on his Instagram account. He revealed that Grillo will be playing Rick Flag Sr., a character he will also voice in the upcoming animated project Creature Commandos. This marks Grillo's first live-action role in a DC project.
Why does this story matter?
Derived from the DC Comics character of the same name, Peacemaker marks the sole DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and is a spin-off from the 2021 film, The Suicide Squad. Set in the aftermath of the movie, the series delves deeper into the life of the jingoistic mercenary Christopher Smith aka Peacemaker. John Cena reprises his role as the titular character from The Suicide Squad. In February 2022, S02 was greenlit—with Gunn returning to write all episodes.
'Peacemaker' Season 2 to be canon in DC Universe
Gunn had previously stated that certain actors would portray their characters in both animation and live-action when he announced the DCU's Chapter 1 slate, titled Gods and Monsters. He confirmed that Peacemaker Season 2 will be canon to the DCU, unlike Season 1. This announcement raises questions about the potential timeline of the series, as Cena's Peacemaker killed Rick Flag Jr—Rick Flag Sr.'s son—in Gunn's first DC outing, The Suicide Squad.
'Peacemaker' Season 2 release date and cast details
While no official release date for S02 has been announced yet, Gunn assured fans that he'll share details when he sees fit. He is currently directing the upcoming DCU feature film debut, Superman. All surviving characters from Peacemaker S01 are expected to reprise their roles in S02. This includes Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Agent Emilia Harcourt, Steve Agee as John Economos, and Dee Bradley Baker as the voice of Peacemaker's pet Eagly.
'Peacemaker' S02 production underway
Peacemaker Season 2 has begun production, with Gunn set to direct some of the episodes. The series is produced by Gunn's Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros Television. Grillo's casting opens up the possibility for other DCU stars to potentially appear in the series. All episodes of Peacemaker Season 1 are currently available to stream on JioCinema.