James Gunn Reveals That Peacemaker’s Giant DC Cameo Was Almost Ruined By a Huge Problem

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Everyone knows the popular HBO Max series *Peacemaker* is closely connected to the world established by this summer’s *Superman* movie. The show’s first episode cleverly changed a famous moment from Season 1 and brought in characters audiences already knew, signaling that the DC Universe would be fully connected. Last night’s episode featured an even bigger surprise cameo, one that no one predicted. However, the biggest shock isn’t the appearance itself, but how a problem during filming almost prevented it from happening. (Warning: Spoilers ahead.)

Midway through the newest episode of *Peacemaker*, Rick Flag Sr. goes to Belle Reve prison to see a secret inmate – a man we initially see walking with a cane. It’s quickly revealed to be Lex Luthor, played once again by Nicholas Hoult, who previously appeared in this summer’s *Superman* film. This appearance instantly makes the DC Universe feel interconnected and exciting, hinting that any character could potentially appear. However, director James Gunn has shared that this cameo almost didn’t happen.

Lex Luthor’s Peacemaker Cameo Was the First Scene Shot for the Series

On *Peacemaker: The Official Podcast*, James Gunn revealed that the scene featuring Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor was the very first thing filmed for the series, even before production officially began.

Gunn shared that this scene was among the first they filmed. They shot it during production of *Superman*, specifically while filming the Pentagon scenes. He described it as a strange but cool experience, noting the stark tonal difference between the grand scale of *Superman* and the more realistic, gritty feel of this new show. He also mentioned it was surprising to hear the character Nick using profanity.

It’s interesting that the first footage shot for Season 2 of *Peacemaker* came from Episode 6, but it actually fits well with the larger DC Universe plans. Since James Gunn was already set to direct this episode, and the scene didn’t require Nicholas Hoult to travel back to the set after finishing his work on *Superman*, it was a smart move. While this kind of scheduling is rare, it demonstrates that James Gunn and his team are carefully coordinating all the DC projects to ensure they connect smoothly.

Lex Luthor’s Peacemaker Cameo Was Almost Ruined by an Air Conditioning Unit

According to Lars Winther, a top production executive at DC Studios, the quick turnaround needed for Lex Luthor’s appearance in Peacemaker nearly caused a major problem during filming.

Winther explained that they initially built the set on stage, then moved it to the warehouse. Once there, he told the crew to simply place it in a corner, but they ended up putting it in the center of the room, directly under a noisy air conditioning vent – a detail he clearly remembers.

Gunn quickly snapped with exasperation, “Do I remember?”

Winther explained that the people filming that scene weren’t the regular TV series crew, but rather temporary workers hired just for the day. One of them, a sound technician, pointed out the problem with the large air conditioning unit and predicted they wouldn’t be able to film the scene at all that day.

Winther explained they immediately dismissed the idea. She also mentioned the day started chaotically, but they were able to resolve the issues.

Gunn hinted at how he felt that day, saying, “I was surprisingly calm about it,” which made his fellow podcast hosts laugh.

“The sound was awful,” Gun said. They faced many sound issues during post-production and had to work hard to fix them.

Luckily for Gunn and the team behind Peacemaker, none of us at home could tell.

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2025-09-27 01:25