DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn revealed that one HBO Max series will be a "direct sequel" to Superman. All eyes are on DC Studios after James Gunn delivered on years of anticipation when Superman stuck the landing with audiences and critics while also bringing in the best non-Batman numbers the blue brand has seen in years at the box office. The DCU saga will soon expand across Peacemaker Season 2, Supergirl, Lanterns, Clayface, Wonder Woman, The Brave and the Bold, and more, but many are first wondering whether a Superman sequel is now on the cards.
Gunn has been cryptic on the matter, only confirming he is writing something of a sequel that will feature David Corenswet's DCU hero in a "major role" but isn't exactly Superman 2. There's no telling what this mystery movie may be after Gunn shut down hopes that he may be working on a World's Finest movie starring Corenswet and an all-new Batman. One popular theory would see a Kryptonian crossover with Milly Alcock's Supergirl after she debuts in her June 2026 solo outing based on the Woman of Tomorrow story.
Having reaffirmed on Threads that he is working on a Superman follow-up, James Gunn revealed that it won't be the first DCU project to continue the 2025 epic's storyline. The DC Studios co-CEO revealed that he "pretty much [thinks] of Peacemaker Season 2 as a direct sequel" to Superman.
While this is bound to send fans into endless theorizing, the DC Studios boss may have already explained how Peacemaker's second outing will be a "direct sequel" to Superman in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
Firstly, Gunn told the outlet how the pocket dimension technology that was used by Lex Luthor in Superman, and similarly powers Peacemaker's Quantum Unfolding Chamber, is "the center of the story" in the upcoming Season 2:
"You've seen what we call the QUC, the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, in the first season of 'Peacemaker,' and we see more about that technology in 'Superman.' The QUC is the center of the story in 'Peacemaker' season 2."
Furthermore, the DCU director promised fans will see "a lot of different characters from Superman" in Peacemaker, even teasing surprise characters later in the season and a major cameo near the climax:
"We see a lot of different characters from 'Superman' in the [season], [including] [Isabela Merced] and [Nathan Fillion] and [Sean Gunn], and then we see a bunch of other characters later on in the season from other parts of the DCU and from 'Superman.' There might even be one really, really, really big cameo near the end of the show."
DC Studios already confirmed several Superman actors who will return in Peacemaker, including John Cena, who cameoed on the big screen this summer but will be back to lead his HBO Max series starting Thursday, August 21.
Peacemaker Season 2 Might Be Hiding Some Major Superman Cameos
James Gunn has been open about some of the ways Peacemaker Season 2 will follow up on Superman, including bringing back members of the Justice Gang. But there seems to be more at play in the DCU's first live-action series, as behind-the-scenes footage indicated two of Lex Luthor's henchmen will be back as well.
With Peacemaker's sophomore outing bringing back his loyal followers and his pocket dimension technology, perhaps Nicholas Hoult's imprisoned Lex Luthor may even be the "really, really, really big cameo" for Season 2.
Regardless, it's clear there will certainly be storyline links, thematic connections, and overlapping characters between the two Gunn-written DCU projects. Some are even holding out hope that Superman will appear after a recent photo shared by Peacemaker star Danielle Brooks, but that may be a little far-fetched.
Meanwhile, Gunn is still in the early stages of writing a Superman somewhat-sequel that will bring David Corenswet's DCU hero back to the forefront. There's no telling what this will be after Gunn shut down the Batman team-up guesses, but one popular theory would see a Kryptonian crossover with Milly Alcock's Supergirl.
