James Gunn has recently shared that he tried to get Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool to make a surprise appearance in the Season 2 finale of Peacemaker. The director confirmed he personally discussed the idea with Reynolds, who was willing to do it, but the historic Marvel-DC crossover was ultimately stopped by the complicated agreements needed between the two competing studios.
The Almost-Cameo Explained
The plan was for the cameo to happen during a key sequence in the finale episode, “Full Nelson.” In the episode, characters use a Quantum Unfolding Chamber to look into different dimensions. One of these doors was supposed to open to reveal Deadpool simply sitting in a room.
“I wanted them to open the door and see Deadpool in a room,” Gunn said during a virtual press conference. “I talked to Ryan Reynolds about it, but I would’ve had to go through some pretty, pretty big hoops to do that. He wanted to do it!”
Gunn joked that by revealing the story, he had created a new talking point. He added, “Oh, that’s all anybody’s gonna talk about now, is f*cking Deadpool in the other room. I should’ve never said it!” The scene would have been a quick visual gag, fitting with the montage’s style of showing brief, often dangerous, glimpses into other worlds.
Why It Didn’t Happen
The primary reason the cameo did not happen was the significant corporate and legal challenges involved. Bringing a flagship Marvel character into a DC Universe show would have required high-level approvals from both Warner Bros. and Disney. Gunn referred to these as “pretty big hoops,” indicating that the negotiations were too complex to finalize for a single scene. This would have marked the first live-action crossover of its kind between the DC and Marvel cinematic universes.
Peacemaker’s Finale and the Future DCU
While the Deadpool cameo was not to be, the Peacemaker Season 2 finale was still pivotal for the future of the DCU. The episode introduced major new elements from DC Comics, including the secret agency Checkmate and the metahuman prison planet Salvation.
The finale ended with a major cliffhanger where John Cena’s Peacemaker is kidnapped by Rick Flag Sr. and exiled to the prison planet Salvation. Gunn has stated that this storyline will be central to the wider DCU, connecting to upcoming projects like the “Superman” sequel, “Man of Tomorrow,” and the “Lanterns” series. For now, Gunn has confirmed there are no current plans for a third season of Peacemaker, and the character’s story will continue in other DCU projects.
Also Read: Peacemaker Season 2 Finale Explained: Every DC Easter Egg and Cameo
