Doing the rounds to promote Superman, James Gunn repeatedly hyped up Peacemaker Season 2 and promised DC fans a "really, really, really big cameo."
In episode 6, Nicholas Hoult reprised his role as Lex Luthor. Walking with a cane after Krypto's attack, the villain was revealed to be locked up in Belle Reve and all too eager to lend Rick Flag Sr. and A.R.G.U.S. a helping hand if it meant being moved to a prison without the metahumans he despises so much.
It was indeed a big cameo, but fans hoped for more, especially as the introduction of Earth-X opened the door to the possibility of seeing a Nazi Superman (Overman in the comics). Then, with Gunn more recently revealing that Peacemaker Season 2 is a "prequel" to Man of Tomorrow, the expectation was that the DCU's Man of Tomorrow might show up and, failing that, a cameo from the movie's expected big bad—Brainiac—seemed like a given.
Well, none of that happened. In fairness to Gunn, seemingly realising he'd perhaps given fans false hope, he confirmed that David Corenswet wouldn't appear as Superman a few weeks ago. However, interviews and frequent social media posts did suggest that we'd see more Superman-adjacent cameos in the finale; little did we know it would just be General Mori and a couple of Luthor's goons.
So, no, there was no "really, really, really big cameo" in Peacemaker Season 2's final episode. Booster Gold didn't show up, and neither did Batman. Beyond Flag's deal with Luthor and the introduction of Checkmate and Salvation, all of which could be key to Man of Tomorrow, it still feels like a slight exaggeration to have labelled this series a "prequel" and such an important chapter in the wider DCU.
Did Gunn overpromise and underdeliver, or did fans set unrealistically high expectations? After all, a new heroic organisation like Checkmate and an alternate reality planet meant to serve as a metahuman prison make for pretty seismic additions to the DCU. Luthor, meanwhile, is one step closer to earning his freedom.
Moving forward, it might be best to take Gunn's comments a little less seriously, as many fans have walked away from Peacemaker feeling underwhelmed and disappointed. It's easy to see why they feel disillusioned—at the start of 2023, the DC Studios co-CEO also promised several projects that have failed to materialise, like The Authority, Waller, and The Brave and the Bold—but in Gunn's defence, Season 2 has set the stage for some potentially very exciting future developments.
Peacemaker season 2 follows Chris Smith, 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.
Season 2 stars John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Brey Noelle, and Tim Meadows.
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.
In our review of Peacemaker season 2's first five episodes, we wrote, "Peacemaker season 2 feels like a wholly superfluous addition to the new DCU, and lacks the stakes and emotion that made season 1 so special. Fortunately, it’s buoyed by some fun surprises for fans and another exceptional turn from John Cena."
All episodes of Peacemaker season 2 are now streaming on HBO Max.