Warning: This article contains spoilers for the Peacemaker season 1 finale
Thanks to the events of the Peacemaker finale, Suicide Squad 3 is impossible now. A sequel to James Gunn’s movie hasn’t been announced, but the possibility of a third installment was strengthened by the reception of The Suicide Squad and its success on HBO Max. However, whether or not DC intends to continue the franchise is a question that has gone unanswered for months. But is Suicide Squad 3 coming anytime soon? And how will Peacemaker affect it?
Being a spinoff focused on a handful of characters from The Suicide Squad, HBO Max’s Peacemaker show seemed excellently poised to advance the story and perhaps create a bridge between The Suicide Squad and a potential third film. With Peacemaker (John Cena) and his allies handling a full-scale alien invasion, it certainly turned out to be a high-stakes story capable of laying the groundwork for some critical developments in the DCEU and teasing a future movie or two. As many had hoped, the show came with some shocks, including surprising cameos from the Justice League who showed up a few moments too late for the final battle with the villains.
One thing that the Peacemaker finale didn’t do was set up Suicide Squad 3. In fact, it did just the opposite: At the end of the episode, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) shocked the nation by disclosing the details of Project Butterfly to the public. Not only that, but she namedropped Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and revealed the existence of Task Force X. By exposing the team's purpose and effectively bringing down its founder and leader, Adebayo killed any chance of Waller creating a new Suicide Squad line-up. So when is Suicide Squad 3 coming? Its unclear – but Suicide Squad 3 can no longer work narratively since Adebayo outed Waller.
Task Force X Is Over, So What's Next?
Task Force X is central to the Suicide Squad's operations – so is Suicide Squad 3 coming at all? And what form will it take? Task Force X was only able to exist because of its top-secret nature. The concept of the government sending criminals on missions in exchange for lighter sentences came with too many legal issues for it to work any other way. Moreover, Waller had to use villains in secret people so that she could accomplish goals no superhero or soldier could carry out, which speaks volumes about the kinds of shady activities they undertook. What Adebayo did in the Peacemaker finale will put Waller – and the previous missions undertaken by Task Force X – under intense public scrutiny. To avoid any further scandals, the government will have no choice but to remove Waller from power.
It’s worth pointing out that the ending of The Suicide Squad had already delivered one major setback for the group by dismantling it. But, it didn’t go as far as to rule out the possibility of Waller rebuilding it with new characters. Peacemaker, on the other hand, took that extra step. Now that Waller is ruined and the world knows about Task Force X, her superiors can’t easily replace her with someone else and create a new team for Suicide Squad 3.
Instead Of Suicide Squad 3, DC Is Doing Peacemaker Season 2
Now that Amanda Waller has been outed, the ideas for Suicide Squad 3 are starting to run dry. The public knows about Task Force X, making the possibility of reinventing the team highly unlikely. Therefore, it's probably that the DCEU is transitioning the Suicide Squad story into Peacemaker season 2. While Suicide Squad 3 may not be on the horizon any time soon, it is possible that Peacemaker season 2 could set up the next installment of the franchise. While details for the upcoming season are being kept under wraps, there are several places the plot could go. An obvious plotline to follow the Peacemaker season 1 finale is the antihero's friction with his former boss. Though it was Adebayo who outed her mother, Peacemaker is sure to feel some of Waller's wrath. The new season could also be there to set up Suicide Squad 3. Since there are no details about the plot, the focus could be Waller's return to power behind the scenes, ideally (and audaciously) setting up the next Suicide Squad movie.
Peacemaker season 2 doesn't have an official release date yet, but it's likely the next season could premiere sometime in 2023 or early 2024, as Gunn is busy working for Marvel on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Most of the main cast should return to reprise their roles, though it's still unknown who the new additions could be. With Waller outed, Viola Davis could probably have a more significant part in Peacemaker season 2. While the series could set up Suicide Squad 3, it's unlikely, because the narrative behind the hypothetical movie wouldn't work as of now.
