James Gunn Says Massive Peacemaker Season 2 Cameo Was Shot on the Superman Set — And It Instantly Felt Different
Peacemaker’s biggest shocker was filmed in lockstep with Superman, a clear signal that the rebooted DC universe is stitching its crossovers together from day one.
Peacemaker just dropped a legit DC bomb in season 2, episode 6. If you are not caught up, this is your last chance to bail.
Spoilers ahead for Peacemaker season 2, episode 6.
So yeah, Lex Luthor shows up
Nicholas Hoult finally steps into the DCU proper as Lex Luthor, and his first stop is Peacemaker. He pops up to cut a deal with Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr., which is both exactly the kind of shady chess move you want from Lex and a nice piece of connective tissue for what James Gunn is building across these projects.
The wild part: they shot it during Superman
Gunn says this cameo was filmed while cameras were rolling on Superman, specifically during the Pentagon block of that shoot. Which means Hoult was jumping between the big, glossy Superman energy and Peacemaker's grimy, grounded vibe in real time. Inside baseball alert: that kind of tonal whiplash is not easy for an actor, and Gunn straight up says you can feel the difference.
"This was one of the first scenes we shot. We shot it in the middle of Superman, while we were shooting the Pentagon sequences in Superman."
Gunn also notes that hearing Hoult-as-Lex curse in Peacemaker hits different, and even his performance style here doesn't match what he is doing in Superman. That tracks: Peacemaker lives in the muck; Superman is built to soar. Seeing the same character slide between those textures is half the fun.
Where this is headed
Gunn has already said Peacemaker season 2 steers us into the next Superman movie, which now has an official title: Man of Tomorrow. Based on Gunn's teases so far, that film teams up Supes and Lex against Brainiac, which is a spicy setup considering how we just met this Lex.
- Episode: Peacemaker season 2, episode 6
- Cameo: Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, dealing with Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr.
- How it was made: Shot during Superman's Pentagon sequences; one of the first scenes Gunn filmed
- Tone check: Superman is big and brash; Peacemaker stays weirdly grounded and gritty
- What is next: Superman sequel is titled Man of Tomorrow, releasing in 2027
- Setup vibes: Gunn has teased a Superman/Lex team-up against Brainiac
Peacemaker season 2 is rolling out now, and based on this cameo, Gunn is not shy about threading the needle between shows and movies. Buckle up; the DCU cross-pollination has officially started getting weird in a good way.