Superman delivers one of the most despicable interpretations of Lex Luthor to date. The villain is determined to destroy the Man of Steel at all costs and finds himself surrounded by a team willing (or terrified enough) to do anything he demands of them.
Now, at least two of those Luthorcorp lackeys have been confirmed for Peacemaker season 2. Eagle-eyed fans have noticed that, in a previously released featurette for the HBO Max series, Otis (Terence Rosemore) and Sydney (Stephen Blackehart) can be seen alongside Rick Flag Sr.
In Superman, Otis doesn't hesitate to obey Lex's every order and seems more than happy to unleash destruction on Metropolis if it means bringing down its alien protector.
Sydney, meanwhile, was a scientist and ultimately seemed to have a change of heart when he attempted to convince his boss to close the dimensional rift that was tearing the city in half. He even offers to help Mister Terrific, but is quickly turned down.
While both men are taken into custody alongside Lex after Superman saves the day, it seems Flag Sr., who now leads A.R.G.U.S., has decided to make them work for their freedom (not unlike the members of Task Force X).
This raises the question of whether Luthor himself could be the huge cameo that James Gunn has teased for Peacemaker season 2. We know he's in Belle Reve, and if Flag Sr. is happy to make use of his minions, why not put the disgraced billionaire's brains to use in helping combat other threats?
Christopher Smith's pocket universe looks like a big part of the story being told here, so that's one way in for the Superman big bad.
Either way, between this and appearances from Maxwell Lord, Guy Gardner, and Hawkgirl, Gunn is building a cohesive shared universe that's inhabited by characters who are jumping from franchise to franchise, creating a true shared world in the process.
As for Peacemaker himself, he made a memorable cameo appearance in Superman on a news show. In that, he blasted the Man of Tomorrow and claimed other superheroes are jealous of how jacked he is.
You can rewatch this Peacemaker featurette in the player below.
Peacemaker follows the explosive escapades of the character 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.
The new season follows Christopher 'Chris' Smith, aka Peacemaker, the vigilante superhero, as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evildoer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost.
This second batch of episodes has assembled an impressive cast, which includes John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Brey Noelle, and Tim Meadows. Joel Kinnaman is also rumoured to appear as Rick Flag Jr.
Peacemaker season 2 premieres on HBO on August 21.