Why Peacemaker Is The Perfect DCEU Soft Reboot | Screen Rant

WARNING: This article contains SPOILERS for Peacemaker

Peacemaker is the DCEU’s perfect soft reboot. The franchise has seen a major shift in style over the past few years. It now seems that James Gunn’s HBO Max original series will set the tone for how it proceeds going forward.

In its early stages, the DCEU got off to a bit of a rough start. The films directed by Zack Snyder saw depictions of classic DC superheroes who underwent major changes to their characters to fit the darker tone of Snyder’s films. Most notable among these changes include Superman who snapped General Zod’s neck in Man of Steel. Similarly, the DCEU’s Batman abandoned his no-kill rule in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice. While the films still have fans as the Snyder Cut movement proves, these changes did not sit well with others and they have received a lukewarm reception from critics. Following the commercial failure of 2017’s Justice League, Warner Bros. gradually shifted gears in its approach to the franchise.

Related: Peacemaker Proves GOTG 3’s Movie Changes Are The Right Choice

As a continuation of The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker follows the titular anti-hero as he is sent on a mission with an A.R.G.U.S.-based task force known as Project Butterfly to exterminate an extraterrestrial race of creatures known as the Butterflies. Meanwhile, it takes time to explore his backstory and his subsequent change of heart following Peacemaker killing The Suicide Squad‘s Rick Flag. The series is far removed from the tone of the DCEU’s early films, as it is rife with Gunn’s wild and zany dark humor. Despite the fact that the show continues to build the universe, it still acknowledges the films’ existence instead of outright abandoning them.

Throughout Peacemaker, the character makes several jabs at certain DC superheroes, notably mocking Batman’s no-kill rule and having less than flattering things to say about the Flash during a show-and-tell at an elementary school. However, the series also takes time to recognize that these heroes still have their fans and are still loved in this universe. The girl who asks Peacemaker if he ever met the DCEU’s Flash is wearing a shirt with his symbol on it. Meanwhile, the comments by Peacemaker regarding Batman’s no-kill rule stem from Auggie Smith’s neighbor claiming that it is what makes the Dark Knight a true hero. This latter conversation also recognizes the character development which Batman receives in Batman V. Superman, extending to both versions of Justice League. This proves that while Peacemaker is still functioning as a reboot of sorts, that doesn’t mean the DCEU is going to de-canonize what came before.

Peacemaker‘s role as a soft reboot for the DCEU is the right approach should Warner Bros. choose to move on from what the earlier films established. Despite the controversy surrounding them, these films still exist and it would be disrespectful for their fans if the DCEU chooses to abandon them. While it’s disappointing that Zack Snyder’s DCEU vision may never come to fruition, especially after the Snyder Cut’s success, it is reassuring that Peacemaker is letting fans know his films won’t be forgotten either.

Next: Peacemaker Just Set Up John Cena’s Perfect Justice League Future

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