James Gunn Says He Faced Backlash Over Latest ‘Peacemaker’ Episode

James Gunn opened up about the reactions to the latest episode of Peacemaker Season 2, which stars John Cena, during an interview with GQ’s Alex Pappademas.

Episode 6, titled “Ignorance Is Chris,” has fans buzzing for several reasons, including the surprise appearance of Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor and the shocking revelation that Chris’s “perfect universe” is actually Earth-X, a reality where the Nazis won World War II.

Gunn shared insights into how the team approached the sensitive subject matter and the creative choices behind the episode. He explained that working with Danielle Brooks, who plays Adebayo, was crucial in making sure the story landed the way they wanted. “I wanted to make sure she was okay with everything,” Gunn said, highlighting the care they took in handling delicate themes.

The writer and director also expressed his excitement about the freedom he enjoys working on Peacemaker. “The show delights me. I really do whatever I want with ‘Peacemaker’—and I mean, in one respect, I do whatever I want with anything, because I am able to make my own choices and I’m my own boss. But with ‘Peacemaker,’ we really let it go. We take chances. We go to places where I think other people are afraid to go,” Gunn shared.

Despite the creative freedom, Gunn admitted that not all reactions were positive. “We got a lot of pushback from various sources within the structure, on this episode in particular, and we’re like, ‘Let’s not be bashful about this. Let’s just do the story that we want to do, and I don’t want to have to pull punches with it,’ he said.

He also noted that while some viewers labeled him polarizing, the response to the episode was overwhelmingly positive. “People have loved this episode the most, so it’s exciting.”

Gunn emphasized the balancing act in the episode, which mixes humor with serious themes like racism. “We’re dealing with a very sensitive subject. We’re dealing with racism and at the same time, there’s humor in this episode. And so, you’re dealing with something very delicate and yet we’re not being delicate about it—but I don’t think we’re not being delicate in a non-thoughtful way,” he explained.

The episode’s storyline delivers several intense moments. Adebayo notices that every extra in Chris’s “perfect universe” is white, signaling that people of color are being oppressed.

The reveal hits hard when she encounters fear and hostility from others in this dimension. Gunn highlighted that some of these details might not have been obvious on first viewing. “I think everybody online noticed what was happening, but also because they were discussing it. I showed the whole season to people before that and they did not notice at all,” he said, pointing out that even careful viewers missed the subtleties at first.

Meanwhile, the episode also explores alternative versions of characters, like Adrian, also known as Vigilante, who meets his counterpart in the new universe.

Their interaction reveals that Peacemaker is his arch-enemy in this dimension and was the reason Vigilante joined the “Sons of Liberty,” a resistance group. The story builds tension as Chris and Harcourt explore the altered world, culminating in the shocking realization that the U.S. flag is replaced by a Nazi symbol.

Gunn noted that the weekly release schedule for Peacemaker allows viewers to discuss and digest episodes as they come. He suggested that watching in this format helps people notice details they might otherwise miss and engage with the story in a deeper way.

The episode, with its mix of dark humor and serious social commentary, demonstrates how Peacemaker pushes boundaries while staying thoughtful. Gunn summed it up: “It was about the way we handled all that,” referring to both the humor and the weighty topics addressed in “Ignorance Is Chris.”

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