DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn explained why Superman actor David Corenswet will be omitted from Peacemaker Season 2. While Man of Tomorrow may be teed up as Superman's true theatrical follow-up, it isn't the only sequel to the movie coming from Gunn. Previously, the DCU boss confirmed that he sees Peacemaker Season 2 as a "direct sequel" to Superman, which will also set the stage for Man of Tomorrow. The HBO Max series' sixth episode, "Ignorance Is Chris," seemingly revealed how it bridges the gap between DCU movies when Nicholas Hoult's Lex Luthor made a surprise appearance.
With Frank Grillo's Rick Flag Sr. in hot pursuit of John Cena's Peacemaker, who happens to have his own interdimensional portal, the ARGUS director turned to Luthor in Belle Reve prison as an expert on the matter. Eventually, the pair became "partners" with the Superman villain, with Flag Sr. offering a "shot at redemption" and a transfer to Van Kull prison. This isn't the first Superman connection in Peacemaker Season 2, but that doesn't mean that fans should hold out hope for David Corenswet to follow in Hoult's footsteps and appear on screen.
Following Peacemaker Season 2's surprise Lex Luthor cameo and the revelation that the alternate, supposedly "perfect world" was actually one ruled by Nazis, Gunn spoke to Variety about the twist and the finale episode to come.
As part of that interview, Gunn was asked whether David Corenswet may appear in Peacemaker Season 2. This interview posited whether the Superman actor could reprise his big-screen superhero or debut one from the Nazi-ruled world, aka Earth X, where the blue Boy Scout has been known as Overman in the comics.
Unfortunately, it seems a Peacemaker debut isn't on the cards for Corenswet this season, as the director gave an outright "no" before noting that the actor was "very upset that [Hoult] got to be on the show, and he didn’t."
He added that the notion "didn't work" as Lex Luthor's role serves a "specific purpose" that sets up Man of Tomorrow and could affect Superman one day:
"It just didn’t work. I needed Lex in the show to serve a specific purpose. And actually, what Lex and Rick Flag are up to affects very much what happens in an aspect of 'Man of Tomorrow.' So all of that is connected. But this relationship between Rick Flag and Lex Luthor is a potentially negative thing for Superman and all meta-humans."
Technically speaking, Corenswet's Man of Steel appeared in Peacemaker Season 2 in the DCUified "Previously On" trailer that replaced Season 1's Justice League cameos with the Justice Gang, as well as Superman and Supergirl.
That said, only Isabela Merced's Hawkgirl and Nathan Fillion's Guy Gardner were truly on screen, with Edi Gathegi's Mr. Terrific, Milly Alcock's Supergirl, and David Corenswet's Superman relegated to faceless cameos in the shadows.
Peacemaker Season 2 will debut its final episode on HBO Max on Thursday, September 9, with more non-Corenswet surprises expected to occur.
When Will David Corenswet's Superman Actually Return?
While a David Corenswet Superman cameo presumably could logistically have been filmed for Peacemaker Season 2, as productions for both the series and Superman filmed at the same time on adjacent sets in Atlanta, it's clear that that wasn't a route that James Gunn was looking to explore from a creative standpoint.
Both Superman and Overman would simply be too overpowered for Peacemaker and the 11th Street Kids, devaluing them in their own story while also stealing the focus from the HBO Max series' key characters. Additionally, Gunn may simply not want to place his brand-new Superman in an R-rated/TV-MA tale just yet.
In terms of when Superman will appear again, fans can look forward to seeing him in July 2027, thanks to Man of Tomorrow. However, many have speculated that he could appear in June 2026's Supergirl with a minor cameo, similarly to how Milly Alcock's Girl of Steel briefly popped up in this year's Superman.
