James Gunn's big DC Universe decisions might seem surprising, but Peacemaker foreshadowed what he would do with each Justice League member. Months before James Gunn became co-CEO of DC Studios with Peter Safran and got the power to decide the future of the Justice League, he utilized DC's superteam for a cameo in Peacemaker's finale. The moment brought Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller back as Aquaman and Flash, while shadows concealed Superman and Wonder Woman's appearances. Notably, Batman and Cyborg were left out of the scene despite being members of the team in Justice League.
While Peacemaker's Justice League cameos happened under DC's old regime and universe plans, the scene has taken on new importance thanks to James Gunn's promotion. There are reports that a significant DCU reboot is coming but that some of the pre-existing movies and characters will be kept. This will likely include Peacemaker thanks to James Gunn's involvement in the HBO Max series. As a result, which Justice League characters appeared in Peacemaker season 1 and how they did now become a piece of foreshadowing for James Gunn's biggest decisions regarding the DCU's future.
James Gunn Is Recasting Superman After Faceless Peacemaker Cameo
The news that James Gunn is recasting Superman was a massive surprise for the DCU. This is mainly due to Henry Cavill appearing as the character in Black Adam's post-credits scene only a few days before Gunn and Safran officially took over DC Studios. The news initially looked to be a good sign for Cavill's Superman future, with reports circulating that Man of Steel 2 was in development. Instead, Gunn is writing a new Superman movie that will focus on a younger Clark Kent, who a new actor will play. Recasting Superman now happens to fit perfectly with the Kryptonian hero's faceless cameo in Peacemaker.
The flying silhouette of Superman in Peacemaker's finale gave him another faceless cameo in the DC franchise. Shazam! famously featured a "cameo" by Henry Cavill's Superman that only showed him from the neck down. This came as part of Cavill and Warner Bros. no longer agreeing on how to move forward with the character. That included WB beginning to search for a new Superman actor in 2018. Since Superman's future was unclear when Peacemaker was released, the faceless cameo was hardly a surprise. Now that it is confirmed that James Gunn wants to recast Superman, not including Cavill in the scene could be a blessing in disguise.
Peacemaker Left Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman Future Uncertain
Like Superman, Wonder Woman's Peacemaker cameo in the Justice League scene did not show Gal Gadot's face. The Amazonian warrior is covered in shadows during the show, but her stance and silhouette leave no doubt about her identity. Not having Gal Gadot return as Wonder Woman in Peacemaker appeared to be more the result of scheduling than any indication of her future with the franchise. Wonder Woman 1984's poor reception a few months earlier did not impact the decision, but it certainly helped shift the franchise's future. It now positions Peacemaker's scene as a turning point for Wonder Woman.
After not bringing Gal Gadot back as Wonder Woman for the scene, James Gunn's DC takeover has now in some way helped contribute to Wonder Woman 3 being canceled. Patty Jenkins walked away from the movie after WB executives pushed back on some of her creative decisions. While James Gunn has stated that he and Safran were not behind Wonder Woman 3's cancelation and that Wonder Woman is part of their plans, it is unclear if that involves Gal Gadot or a different actress taking over the role. Peacemaker's Justice League cameos leave him with the flexibility to go down either road.
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman Is Safe After Peacemaker’s Justice League Scene
Jason Momoa's return as Aquaman as part of Peacemaker's Justice League cameos could help keep him around in the DCU. The actor was one of two Justice League cast members to appear in the HBO Max series. Aquaman's role in the scene is mainly played to comedic effect and continues the jokes about his ability to talk to fish. Now that James Gunn is in charge of the DCU future, this previous collaboration with Jason Momoa could be crucial. It now means that the actor has a working relationship with Gunn and Safran, who produced both Aquaman movies.
Although there have been rumors of Jason Momoa getting a new DCU role after Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, nothing is confirmed about his or Aquaman's future. However, the reports that some DC movies could still have a place in the franchise's future put Aquaman in a unique position. Jason Momoa starred in the highest grossing DCU movie to date and is directly tied to the universe that Peacemaker takes place in. Even if a large reboot does happen, he could be one of the few actors kept around in their original roles. As a result, his Peacemaker cameo may have helped save his spot.
Flash’s Peacemaker Cameo Explains Why Ezra Miller Could Stay
Like Aquaman, The Flash's appearance in Peacemaker season 1 saw Ezra Miller return in their role. The same logic that could help explain why Jason Momoa's Aquaman stays in James Gunn's DCU while Henry Cavill's Superman is recast and Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman might be replaced now applies to Miller's Flash too. Their Flash and Momoa's Aquaman could be the two members of the original Justice League team to be kept as part of the new DCU. Doing anything different will create even more complications for Gunn and Safran if they want to keep Peacemaker as part of the future.
This would mean that the Justice League cameos can help explain reports that Ezra Miller could stay around in the DCU. The studios are unlikely to confirm any plans about Flash's DCU future until after The Flash releases in theaters. While Ezra Miller's various controversies led to calls for DC to recast Barry Allen and bring in a new actor, it appears that executives are still assessing the situation. The Flash is reportedly one of DC's best movies in years, and Miller has stayed out of trouble in recent months while addressing their mental health. Whether it's the right decision or not, Peacemaker and future plans might force Gunn's hand.
Batman’s Peacemaker Absence Allows For DCU Reboot
The characters who did appear in Peacemaker's finale are important, but so are the team members who did not appear. The most prominent missing Justice League character was Batman. However, Ben Affleck not returning was hardly a surprise since DC has been in a tricky situation with Batman in recent years. Planned movie appearances for Affleck, Michael Keaton, and Robert Pattinson as Batman has made the character's future incredibly complicated. Gunn even told Variety that Batman's absence was tied to "future stuff," but he was not in charge of plotting his future at that time.
Luckily for James Gunn and the DCU, Batman's Peacemaker absence paves the way for a reboot. Since The Batman came out so recently and introduced audiences to a new Batman, rebooting the character again will be difficult. However, doing so also makes the most sense for the DCU. Ben Affleck is done playing Batman after The Flash, and Michael Keaton's once-promising Batman future already looks to have been taken away. With Robert Pattinson and The Batman franchise staying separate from the DCU, whatever reason stopped Batman from being in Peacemaker may have been to Gunn's benefit in the long term.
Other DCU Heroes Who Can Join James Gunn’s Justice League
Four members appearing in Peacemaker in some form was a surprise, but the smaller team also allows other heroes to join James Gunn's DCU Justice League team. He has teased various comic characters who could play roles in the franchise's future under his guidance. This includes confirming that frequent Justice League hero Green Lantern is key to the future. Gunn also teased Mister Terrific's potential involvement. It is possible that Green Lantern and Mister Terrific could be part of the new DCU Justice League team and help replace Cyborg.
Additionally, some existing and upcoming DCU heroes might also be strong contenders to join the Justice League. The 2023 DC movie slate includes new solo films for Shazam and Blue Beetle, both of whom are not part of the team in Peacemaker. The reported Wonder Woman cameo in Shazam: Fury of the Gods could help bring Shazam to the team next, while Blue Beetle could be recruited by another hero whenever the team shows up next. The Flash might even set up Supergirl to be part of the Justice League depending on if the rumored cameos are kept in the film's final cut. If so, the new DCU Justice League team could form in Peacemaker season 2.
