According to recent rumors, DC Studios has already lined up John Cena's next appearance as Peacemaker after Season 2 of his adults-only HBO Max series. John Cena's Peacemaker has been one of the lucky few holdovers from the old DCEU into the rebooted DCU. His role in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker Season 1 has, albeit with some canon changes, carried over to the new universe and the sophomore outing of his HBO Max series.
Currently, his journey is continuing in Peacemaker Season 2, serving as a direct sequel to Superman and prequel to James Gunn's next DCU movie, Man of Tomorrow. The ongoing season has been promised by Gunn to set up the DCU's larger storylines, in which Peacemaker looks likely to play a major role.
Following James Gunn's official announcement of Man of Tomorrow, Nexus Point News reported a rumor from "unverified" sources, stating that John Cena will return as Peacemaker in the Superman follow-up. This would mark the third big-screen appearance for Cena's DC anti-hero after he debuted in 2021's The Suicide Squad, having enjoyed most of his screentime on HBO Max.
The rumor comes after Peacemaker's cameo in Superman, dissing the Man of Steel in an interview with Cleavis Thornwaite for "thinking [he is] better than everyone else" and how people like that always have "dark, ugly secrets."
Peacemaker Season 2's "Previously on DCU" recap revealed the anti-hero has at least crossed paths with the Man of Steel, as Superman and Supergirl joined the Justice Gang in arriving too late to the Season 1 finale conflict.
While Cena and Corenswet are yet to interact on-screen, the Superman star confirmed on Instagram that they have met with an in-costume selfie. Some may take the snap as a sign that Superman will appear in Peacemaker Season 2, but this was more likely just part of a set visit as both live-action DCU projects shot around the same time on adjacent sets in Atlanta, Georgia.
If the rumors are true, Peacemaker wouldn't be the only DCU hero joining Superman and Lex Luthor in Man of Tomorrow. Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl and Aaron Pierre's John Stewart are among the rumored cast members for the Superman sequel, with Milly Alcock's Supergirl and Jason Momoa's Lobo possibly also set to appear based on Nexus Point News' sources.
Fans ought to learn more about Man of Tomorrow in the coming months, with production rumored to begin in June 2026 before its July 9, 2027, release.
Why John Cena's Peacemaker Needs to Return in Man of Tomorrow
Having recently heard that Peacemaker Season 2 is not only a direct sequel to Superman, but also a prequel to Man of Tomorrow, it's not surprising that John Cena's DCU star could step up to a more important role in the 2027 flick.
At the beginning of Peacemaker Season 2, Christopher Smith was eager to join the Justice Gang, only to be turned down by Maxwell Lord and company. Perhaps, after overcoming whatever Season 2's remaining episodes have in store, he could get a second chance at joining the team ahead of Man of Tomorrow.
If as many of Earth's heroes are assembling for Man of Tomorrow as rumored, this could be fans' first taste of an Avengers-esque crossover in the DCU. With Superman and Lex Luthor expected to team up in the movie, one has to imagine a grave threat is looming that will require all hands on deck.
While Peacemaker has strived to be more heroic in his HBO Max series, he remains as willing as ever to kill in the pursuit of peace. It could be interesting to see how these ideals clash with the likes of Superman, depending, of course, on how large a role Cena could take in Man of Tomorrow.
