Fan Exodus: What Went Wrong with James Gunn’s New DC Universe

The new DC Universe had its first big test this year with the release of Superman and the second season of Peacemaker. Both came from James Gunn, who not only co-chairs DC Studios, but also wrote both projects and directed several episodes of Peacemaker Season 2. You could also throw in Creature Commandos, which debuted in December with new episodes running into 2025. The early days of any cinematic universe are crucial because they define the tone and direction for everything that follows. Gunn’s latest season tries to balance being a personal story with serving the needs of a studio universe, but the Peacemaker finale ends up serving two masters and satisfying neither.

The Season 2 finale, “Full Nelson,” picks up after the group escapes a Nazi-controlled parallel Earth. Chris Smith, played by John Cena, is taken into custody by ARGUS. The setup should have allowed for a deep, personal ending for the main character. Instead, the finale spends much of its time checking boxes for future DCU stories. Moments between Adebayo, Harcourt, and Bordeaux provide closure for side plots, but the lead character spends much of the episode avoiding them. The attention shifts to Rick Flag Sr., played by Frank Grillo, whose plot about using a dimensional portal and the planet Salvation as a metahuman prison takes over. The show’s title character takes a backseat in his own finale.

A lot of the episode works more like a teaser reel for upcoming Gunn projects than a true wrap-up. The introduction of Checkmate sets up yet another thread in the DCU. Meanwhile, the world-building around Salvation makes the episode feel more like a backdoor pilot than a meaningful conclusion. The show’s emotional throughline — the untold story between Chris and Harcourt on the party boat — finally gets resolution, but the impact is lost in the noise. Gunn’s dialogue remains sharp, yet his added role as studio boss burdens him with a new agenda: setting up the “universe” instead of finishing the show fans were watching.

Fans also noticed how self-indulgent this season feels. From the male nudity and gay orgy scenes to Gunn’s trademark use of “needle-drops” that turned into extended music videos featuring cameo musicians, the online debates have split fans. These scenes dominated screentime that could have developed Chris Smith further.

The biggest misfire comes in the ending. Rick Flag Jr. traps Chris on Salvation as revenge for killing his son. It’s a grim twist that doesn’t feel earned and leaves the main character’s fate unresolved. Gunn has already confirmed there will be no third season. Ending on a cliffhanger with no follow-up planned leaves viewers hanging—and not in a good way.

Matt McGloin of Cosmic Book News reportst that Samba TV shows that 435,000 households watched the finale in its first four days, about 150,000 fewer than the first season’s conclusion. Season 2 started strong, drawing 22% more viewers for its premiere. But by the end, ratings fell 39% from that first episode. None of the new season’s episodes made it to Nielsen’s weekly streaming charts, hinting that Peacemaker lost the engagement it once enjoyed.

All the signs were there. The p3do tweets, the firing by Disney, the wife young enough to be his daughter, the nepotism, the self-insertion, all the EXPLICIT gay stuff, and his promise for even MORE.

Won’t make a cent from me.

— Kenn Rapp (@KENNxRAPP) October 17, 2025

Gunn keeps hiring the same cast members, often his own friends and family, all the while recycling his usual mix of edgy jokes, self-references, and awkward humor. Some online critics and viewers still haven’t forgotten the old “p3do tweets,” which led to his past firing by Disney, and the growing unease about his off-screen choices. Fans are also pointing at how Gunn’s wife got more screentime and importance than the show’s lead. Peacemaker’s season-long struggle seems less about the hero’s redemption and more about centering Gunn’s favorite cast members.

The decline in audience interest makes it clear why there won’t be another season. If Peacemaker were still a hit, the studio would have renewed it in a heartbeat. Gunn had even called Season 2 a sequel to his Superman movie, but viewers appear to be losing patience with his brand of storytelling and the direction of the DCU overall.

The finale tries to open a door for a DC Comics “Salvation” event storyline involving villains stranded on an alien planet. What it actually does is leave Peacemaker’s story unfinished. Season 1 ended cleanly, giving closure to Chris’s fight with his father and his own guilt. Season 2 begins with promise and character depth but ends like a setup reel for someone else’s movie. For all the talk about bigger worlds and connected universes, audiences mainly wanted a finished story. They didn’t get one.

John Cena still sells the role with heart, but the writing leaves him stranded. The season’s scattered focus, bloated scenes, and self-referential indulgence swallow what could have been a strong character study. Instead, Peacemaker Season 2 ends up feeling less like a show and more like a trailer for whatever James Gunn wants to make next.