James Gunn Reveals Why ‘Peacemaker’s Biggest Cameo Is Huge for the DCU

This article contains spoilers for Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 6James Gunn reveals that the big Superman cameo in Peacemaker Season 2 has major implications for the DCU moving forward. In the sixth episode of Peacemaker‘s sophomore season, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) visits Belle Reeve prison to meet with none other than Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). Flag makes a deal with Luthor, stating that if he helps him track down Peacemaker and his dimensional portal, he will be transferred to a non-meta-human prison, specifically Van Kull Prison, located near Metropolis.

On The Peacemaker Official Podcast, Gunn revealed how Lex Luthor’s guest appearance in Peacemaker Season 2 sets up the upcoming film, Man of Tomorrow, and might have major ramifications beyond that film for the entire DCU’s future. Gunn revealed that the scene was shot on the set of Superman, specifically on the days they were filming the Pentagon scenes, in which both Hoult’s Lex Luthor and Grillo’s Flag Sr. are present. Regarding the future of the DCU, and how Flag Sr.’s deal with Lex Luthor will play out, Gunn said:

“So, we have a really important moment, for not only Peacemaker, but the entire DCU, in that Rick Flag, the head of ARGUS, strikes a deal basically with Lex Luthor. In exchange for Lex Luthor finding where Peacemaker’s portal might be, he is going to move him from a prison with metahumans to a prison with no metahumans.”

Rick Flag Sr. Deal With Luthor Will Have Lasting Consequences on the DCU

Gunn has already confirmed his next DCU film will be Man of Tomorrow, which he has described as not a Superman sequel but something different. However, both David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor will appear, as comic art for the movies announcement showcased the two together with Lex Luthor wearing his power suit from the comics. Most signs point to the movie having Superman and Lex Luthor team up to combat a bigger threat, with fans speculating that it could be the long-awaited live-action feature film debut of Brainiac.

While The Suicide Squad established the United States government’s willingness to use supervillains for its own gain, Rick Flag Sr.’s deal with Lex Luthor most likely will have the super genius manipulating the United States government. Lex Luthor might make himself such a vital aspect to agencies like A.R.G.U.S. that they offer him a certain amount of leniency, eventually leading him to either break out or be willingly let go, potentially becoming president, as Luthor did in the comics. In his narrow quest for revenge against Peacemaker, Rick Flag Sr. might have made a deal with the devil that could doom the world.

Two episodes of Peacemaker remain, and following that will be Lanterns on HBO Max sometime in Spring 2026. That will then be followed by Supergirl and Clayface, with rumors circulating that Creature Commandos Season 2 could debut in late 2026 or early 2027. A Booster Gold series is also in development, which could potentially debut in 2027. Man of Tomorrow might be two years away, but there are plenty of DCU projects on the horizon, many that seem important to the larger story at play.