Peacemaker Co‑Star Teases Checkmate Spinoff Mirroring DC Comics

Photo: Jessica Miglio/HBO Max

In the wake of the Peacemaker season 2 finale, showrunner James Gunn unsettled many fans on the series’ official podcast when he suggested a third season might never arrive. He indicated that the story thread introduced in season 2 could continue in his 2027 Superman entry, Man of Tomorrow, but has also said that movie likely won’t fully resolve Chris Smith’s fate at the end of the season.

So what becomes of the 11th Street Kids — the ragtag, non-superpowered ensemble Gunn assembled across Peacemaker? Steve Agee, a series regular and co-host on the show’s podcast, told Polygon he thinks the most probable path forward is a spinoff centered on Checkmate, the agency the group forms in the season finale.

Agee was candid about not having firm information from Gunn: he hasn’t discussed the show’s future in detail but is grateful to be working. He added that, if these characters continue outside of a standalone Peacemaker series, Checkmate seems like the natural vehicle — particularly since the finale gathers the principal players, alongside Tim Meadows and Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez) and Nhut Le’s Judomaster.

Image: HBO Max

Agee noted that there was earlier discussion about his character, the prickly tech specialist John Economos, appearing in Waller — a spinoff anchored by Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller and spun out of Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad. That project was floated in 2023 as part of Gunn’s slate to relaunch the DC Universe, but Agee and others have heard little about it recently and suspect development has slowed.

“There was a lot of talk about a spinoff with Viola… but it’s kind of stalled out,” Agee said. “I haven’t heard anything about it in six to ten months. My sense is Checkmate might be higher priority. Not that Amanda Waller is gone for good — I think she’ll likely reappear.”

A Checkmate series would make narrative sense: Adebayo’s arc is closely tied to her mother, and the agency storyline echoes DC Comics history, where characters like Peacemaker and Vigilante have operated within Waller’s orbit and Task Force X before branching into other teams.

Regarding Economos’ trajectory, Agee doesn’t envision him morphing into a marquee hero; rather, he hopes the character remains a reliable supporting presence — the kind of dependable utility player who shows up when needed, akin to Marvel’s Agent Coulson.

He also expressed a lighter wish for Economos: some romantic chemistry. Agee recalled that an early plan had him briefly paired with Vigilante’s mother in a scene that was ultimately cut, and he’d like to see the character find a love interest down the line.

Both seasons of Peacemaker are currently streaming on HBO Max.

Source: Polygon