Based on what little we've seen from Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker season 2, James Gunn is wasting no time in expanding the DCU and creating a world inhabited by superheroes.
A DC fan recently took to social media to share some deep-cut Easter Eggs they hope to see in the DCU; one of them was Martian Manhunter's obsession with Chocos, DC's take on Oreos.
That prompted Gunn to respond with a real-life version of Chocos, leading to speculation on social media that J'onn J'onzz will soon make his DCU debut. However, as the filmmaker is currently busy shooting an episode of Peacemaker, we'd bet on these being a prop from that series.
In other words, it might be best not to get too excited. However, that Max series does feel like a fitting place to introduce Martian Manhunter as Detective John Jones! It's worth noting that Chocos were also spotted on a billboard while Superman was shooting in Cleveland.
Martian Manhunter, also known as J'onn J'onzz, hails from Mars and is one of the last survivors of his race, the Green Martians. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, he first appeared in Detective Comics #225 in 1955.
J'onn possesses a wide array of abilities, including super strength, flight, shape-shifting, telepathy, intangibility, and Martian vision (similar to Superman's heat vision). His most notable weakness is fire, which causes him severe physical and psychological trauma due to a deep-seated fear tied to the destruction of his people.
On Earth, J'onn takes the human guise of Detective John Jones and often works with law enforcement. He is also a founding member of the Justice League, where he serves as a mentor and moral compass to many heroes, including Superman and Batman. J'onn's character is defined by his deep sense of justice, his enduring loneliness as an alien on Earth, and his quest to protect his adopted home from the same fate that befell Mars.
The character's previous live-action appearances include Supergirl (David Harewood) and Zack Snyder's Justice League (Harry Lennix).
You can see Gunn's social posts below.
Peacemaker follows the explosive escapades of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of James Gunn's 2021 film The Suicide Squad - a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.
Season 2 of Peacemaker has assembled an impressive cast which includes John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, and Tim Meadows. A premiere date has not been revealed by DC Studios.
The series is expected to premiere next year or in 2026.