Although it will be over two months until the hotly-anticipated Superman reboot film is released, fans already know where four of its characters will appear next in the fledgling DC Universe franchise. Superman’s Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), who was introduced in the animated series Creature Commandos, was previously confirmed to be appearing in the second season of Max series Peacemaker, taking place in the DCU following the events of Superman, but the trailer for the new season reveals that three of his co-stars from the film will also be joining him.
The trailer begins with Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena) being rejected after what seems to be an interview for a position on a superhero team conducted by Maxwell “Max” Lord (Sean Gunn), Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), and Green Lantern Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion). In addition to emphasizing that certain DCU projects will connect to and cross over with one another in overt ways, this scene all but confirms a prominent fan theory about the franchise, that being that it will feature some adaptation of DC Comics’ Justice League International, commonly known as the JLI.
What is the Justice League International?
Created in 1987, the JLI debuted as the stars of a new ongoing Justice League comic book, which changed its title to match the more specific moniker of the group a few issues later. Although longtime Justice League members Batman and Martian Manhunter continued to appear in the new series, the creators were barred from using many of DC’s other iconic heroes, such as Superman and Wonder Woman, due to the story and editorial plans for their solo comics. This, along with the in-universe premise of a more global, government-sanctioned superhero team, led JLI to focus on more obscure and/or unconventional characters as its main cast, leading to its famously zany, highly comedic tone.
Max became the team’s public liaison, a morally ambiguous, often manipulative millionaire, before later comics involved him in covert operations. Guy was one of its founding and longest-serving members, with his egotistical, abrasive attitude being the target of many comedic bits. The tone and style of the book are similar to those of Peacemaker and DC Studios co-president James Gunn’s other superhero projects, as is the focus on less well-known characters. Given these and other similarities and the inclusion of several of the book’s specific cast members in early DCU projects, many fans have expected the franchise to feature a storyline that pays homage to the title, whether this means having a team that is known as the JLI.
Batman is, unsurprisingly, set to be a big part of the DCU and has already appeared in wordless cameos in Creature Commandos, though his history in comics and other media is so extensive and varied that his presence alone wouldn’t necessarily be a hint towards a JLI story. But the franchise is also confirmed to include some of the team’s lesser-known members, such as Rex Mason/Metamorpho (played by Anthony Carrigan in Superman) and Booster Gold. Xolo Maridueña is confirmed to be reprising the role of Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle that he first played in a DC Extended Universe film, in the DCU. Blue Beetle made frequent references to Jaime’s predecessor, Ted Kord, before the character appeared, played by Bobby McGruther, in a voice-over cameo in the film’s mid-credits scene. Ted is known for serving on the JLI in comics, and both he and Jaime have connections to Peacemaker, who, like Ted, was originally created for Charlton Comics before the smaller company was acquired by DC. It wouldn’t be surprising if these connections were adapted into the DCU in some way, nor if one or both Beetles were involved in a potential JLI arc.
The JLI Could Be a Big Part of the DC Universe
In addition to sharing characters, the DCU and JLI also (seem to) feature similar plot and thematic points. Logos for a company called LordTech, which Max presumably owns, can be seen in promotional material for Superman, including on the costumes of some of the supporting heroes in the film, like Guy. This has led many viewers to expect some version of a formal superhero team, likely sanctioned by Max and/or the U.S. or other governments, to already exist in the film, with Superman’s (David Corenswet) characteristically selfless, compassionate approach to crime fighting possibly leading him to clash with the other heroes, who may employ more ruthless tactics or be constrained by their official status, similar to how political considerations often complicated JLI missions. The JLI has also come into conflict with another government-sponsored team, Task Force X (the Suicide Squad), on occasion, with the latter group having been a focal point of James Gunn’s previously released DC projects, including the first season of Peacemaker.
So, while Max, Guy, and Hawkgirl’s involvement in the new season could be limited to cameos in the trailer scene, with their rejection seemingly adding to existing feelings of inferiority in Peacemaker and his team, the former group and other potential bits of JLI mythology would also make sense as more prominent additions to the show. Likewise, Peacemaker, any members of his team, and many of the protagonists from Creature Commandos or James Gunn’s Suicide Squad film, which is partially canonical to the DCU, would fit in well on a future, more welcoming iteration of the JLI, either later in the series or in other projects.
Peacemaker Season 2 premieres on Max on August 21, 2025.
Discover more from imd369
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
