PEACEMAKER Star John Cena Says He Was Called In At The "Final Hour" For SUPERMAN Cameo

PEACEMAKER Star John Cena Says He Was Called In At The "Final Hour" For SUPERMAN Cameo

John Cena has opened up on his surprise cameo as Peacemaker in Superman, revealing that filmmaker James Gunn came up with the idea while they were prepping Peacemaker season 2. Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Aug 04, 2025 10:08 AM EST
Filed Under: Peacemaker

Almost all of Superman's biggest surprises leaked online in advance, but John Cena's Peacemaker cameo was one of the few not revealed before the movie swooped into theaters last month.

Christopher Smith was featured on a talk show, tearing into the Man of Tomorrow after the world learned why his parents had really sent him to Earth. It was a fun moment for fans, and tied into Peacemaker's disdain and jealousy for the superheroes who have shunned his attempts to be like them. 

In a newly released video, Cena breaks his silence on appearing in Superman, revealing that it was a last-minute decision made by Gunn while he was getting ready to start shooting Peacemaker season 2. 

"I was called in at the final hour as we were preparing for Peacemaker season 2," the WWE Superstar explained. "I did the costume fittings for the new Peacemaker season 2 wardrobe. They were filming Superman at the time, and James [Gunn] asked me if I wanted to be involved, and my answer was, 'Heck yes!'"

Cena added, "So I got to go on a talk show and talk some smack about Superman." Asked why he thinks Superman is iconic, Cena added, "Well, I think everything from the branding to the idea of a true virtuous superhero, you have to start the story of good and evil somewhere, and I think Superman is building block one of that."

There are rumours that either Superman or Lex Luthor will appear in Peacemaker season 2, with the latter most likely seeing as he's now locked up in Belle Reve. We'll have to wait and see on that.

Cena's professional wrestling career is winding down, so he'll soon have plenty of time for the DCU. At SummerSlam last night, he was attacked by a returning Brock Lesnar after losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes. Learn more about that here.

You can check out Cena's comments in full 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. He discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.

This second batch of episodes will star 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. 

James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones also direct.

Peacemaker season 2 premieres on HBO on August 21. 

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Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 10:34 AM
Surprise Cameo...

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vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 11:05 AM
@Nomis929 - even the trades or "insiders" didnt know this. What are you talking about?
Nonameforme
Nonameforme - 8/4/2025, 11:09 AM
@Nomis929 - yes.
RolandD
RolandD - 8/4/2025, 11:16 AM
@Nomis929 - Yes it was.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 11:21 AM
@vectorsigma -

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Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 11:23 AM
@Nonameforme - I've seen all good people...

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Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 11:27 AM
@RolandD -

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F4ntasticClunge
F4ntasticClunge - 8/4/2025, 11:46 AM
@Nomis929 - not a surprise at all. It was reported he was working on them both at the same time so it was likely one would show up in each other's projects + Gunn wouldn't miss the opportunity to push Peacemaker in some way.

It was common sense 👀😅
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 11:50 AM
@F4ntasticClunge -

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RolandD
RolandD - 8/4/2025, 12:07 PM
@Nomis929 - So satisfied, I’m on my way.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 12:14 PM
@RolandD - Don't surround yourself with yourself
RolandD
RolandD - 8/4/2025, 12:22 PM
@Nomis929 - Not one of my favorite groups overall but they do have some great songs and while none of them were slackers, Chris Squire killed it on bass.
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 8/4/2025, 12:34 PM
@RolandD - Rick Wakeman was the "Jimmi Henrix" of keyboard players back in his day.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/4/2025, 10:43 AM
Wait. I didn't see him in Superman

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QuietStorm
QuietStorm - 8/4/2025, 11:03 AM
@DarthOmega - Why do all my friends tell me I'm crazy when I tell them Peacemaker is the best invisible superhero we've ever had
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DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 8/4/2025, 11:33 AM
@QuietStorm - lol. That's actually dope
cubichy
cubichy - 8/4/2025, 10:45 AM
Absolute garbage character, Cena cannot act and it hurt superman, needs to be abandoned and Gunn better concentrate on the trinity and JL and leave these second and tertiary stringers for other or forgotten. Could be what happened to the MCU with Disney shows. Superman didn't do so well, Hawk girl looked terrible, and not even close to a billion. Gunn has to course correct and be better if DC is to survive.
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 8/4/2025, 11:59 AM
@cubichy - Finally some common sense around here.
RolandD
RolandD - 8/4/2025, 12:12 PM
@cubichy @MaxPaint - Yes, they should absolutely dump a show that was favorably reviewed, including Cena’s acting and that got high viewership.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/4/2025, 10:45 AM
Interesting…

If I’m remembering correctly , Peacemaker S2 and Superman were filming relatively at the same time so it made sense to bring in certain characters for cameos in both projects.

Anyway , I enjoyed the cameo and think it made sense given that the host of that show felt like someone who would have someone like Chris who tends to be misinformed on things on it for sensationalism and such.
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 8/4/2025, 10:48 AM
Neat. So neat a whole article was based on it.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 8/4/2025, 10:49 AM
Speaking of Cena…

The ovation he got at Summerslam after returning to his entrance music after his recent “face turn” and the one after the match were great to see.

Say what you want about him as a wrestler or his character but he’s truly one of , if not the greatest of all time just due to the sheer impact he’s had on audiences.

?si=9k545_H-lPf3169l

?si=suo7SGNokeLaiE18
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 11:08 AM
The 5 viewings i had and the theater bursted of laughter and surprise.

Well executed as a fun and surprising cameo
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/4/2025, 11:24 AM
@vectorsigma - lol when it's DC forcing on a cameo then it's good
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 11:45 AM
@Urubrodi - yeah, im biased.

Lolz, saying this is forced is a stretch.

What's forced is seeing the likes of Elektra surviving the void in d&w because they cant cast anyone else. 😭

What's worse is recasting sabretooth and the others with stuntmen as fodder. 😭

Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/4/2025, 11:53 AM
@vectorsigma - lol what do you mean they couldn't cast anyone else, they were clearly referencing the older Marvel movies that had been "forgotten", it was obviously the goal there.

And you can't even really call those characters cameos as they have quite substancial screen time and actual purpose in the story (aka helping Deadpool and Wolverine to escape the void).

Sabretooth was there for a fight, why get the original actor for something so brief, he was just a nice nod. Pyro for example that had a bigger role, was the original actor.

Peacemaker apparance was basically pointless, it was for a gag. It was a 5 sec interview just to show he's there cause it's literally the only character in this universe that already existed and some people would be aware of. Having said that, having some quick cameos for fun moments (as long as it doesn't get in the way of the story) is not a big deal, they can be fun. Just stop with the double standard.

"yeah, im biased" No shit
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 12:01 PM
@Urubrodi - exactly my point, it was only a gag and not forced.

And putting cameos for fodder is exacty what forced means.

MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 8/4/2025, 12:04 PM
@vectorsigma - "The 5 viewings i had and the theater bursted of laughter and surprise"

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vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 12:05 PM
@MaxPaint - lolz. The effort to create that for a reply.

Thanks for your time 😭😭😭😭
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 8/4/2025, 12:07 PM
@vectorsigma - It was definitely forced. Remove that scene from the movie and it wouldn't change anything. It was out of place. It was clearly just to be like "hey remember this guy from that TV show, he's in this universe as well".

My point is that even though it was forced, it was fun to see him as a quick gag. The Supergirl cameo though, that was forced in a bad way imo.

But you can't come and say that these cameos are fine and then when you have a movie like Deadpool and Wolverine, where some of the guest appearances go way beyond your usual cameos, actually having purpose, that it's bad.

Marvel also has some badly forced cameos as well, like the Winter Soldier one in Cap 4.
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 8/4/2025, 12:09 PM
@vectorsigma - It only takes 10 seconds by a website, it's not that complex. But glad to see a meme boosts your low self teem.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 12:26 PM
@MaxPaint - yeah i really needed a clown around for some laughs after real life monday challenges 😭
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 8/4/2025, 11:10 AM
I'm jacked up on steroids and coke and pumped AS HALE for Peacemaker S2!
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Forthas
Forthas - 8/4/2025, 11:13 AM
"...to the idea of a true virtuous superhero"

I think I saw a different movie because the one I saw...Superman admits to torturing someone, watches passively and then condones a Kaiju being killed despite no evidence it did anything to deserve it, Superman attempted to kill the engineer and then kills his clone (another Kryptonian) without trying to even reason with him by tossing him in a black hole. Not to mention his colleague Hawk Girl murdered someone in cold blood without a trial. I am sure this Superman will not be bringing her to justice.
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 8/4/2025, 11:47 AM
@Forthas - you are exactly one of the guys Gunn warned us to get away from and never give attention to 😭
F4ntasticClunge
F4ntasticClunge - 8/4/2025, 11:51 AM
@vectorsigma - someone with brain that isn't blown over by juvenile jokes, CGI animals and poorly shot actions scenes?

Yes your overlord was right! Never give people that can think for themselves attention😌😉
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 8/4/2025, 12:13 PM
@F4ntasticClunge

“someone with brain that isn't blown over by juvenile jokes, CGI animals and poorly shot actions scenes?”

Forthas isn’t a stupid dude but anything involving James Gunn and/or Superman he becomes borderline nonsensical.

Like right now he sounds super outraged that Superman held a Putin/Netanyahu-esque world leader up to a cactus but Man of Steel is his favorite movie - you know the movie where they recreate 9/11 with superheroes.

If you don’t like James Gunn that’s fine. I know I don’t like everything he does but we’re old enough to know what we like and don’t like. It’s embarrassing seeing grown ass men behave like this.
UltimaRex
UltimaRex - 8/4/2025, 12:24 PM
@Forthas - I believe we've been over this...
Forthas
Forthas - 8/4/2025, 12:30 PM
@vectorsigma - Is there anything there that is not true? Like @F4ntasticClunge implies, if you think about the film too much it will expose what garbage the public has just been fed. So of course we need to stop thinking so they can take your money.
Forthas
Forthas - 8/4/2025, 12:45 PM
@F4ntasticClunge - Pay no attention to regularmovieguy. He ONLY comes out to pontificate to defend one person - James Gunn - for some odd reason. Notice he does not argue the merits of what was written but just seeks to disparage the person making the comment. The level of hypocrisy from these Gunn-Toters is staggering. He could not resist his opportunity to take a shot at Man of Steel writing...

"but Man of Steel is his favorite movie - you know the movie where they recreate 9/11 with superheroes."

Yet is is OK for Superman to recreate the disaster film "the Black Hole" and have Superman stand pat while everyone EXCEPT him saves the day. So it is OK for him to disparage films but not other people. It is sad to see a hypocrite continue to try to gas light people by pretending he is the adult in the room that is evaluating situations equally and fairly. He is not! He is a shill who tries to gain the confidence of others but clearly has his own motives.
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