Peacemaker star John Cena says his Superman cameo was decided at the "final hour" during season 2 costume fittings: "James asked me if I wanted to be involved, and my answer was 'Heck yes'"

Peacemaker star John Cena has finally addressed his fleeting but crowd-pleasing cameo in Superman, revealing that it was actually a rather spontaneous decision made by DC boss James Gunn whilst preparing for Peacemaker season 2.

"I was called in at the final hour as we were preparing for Peacemaker season 2. I did the costume fittings for the new Peacemaker season 2 wardrobe... They were filming Superman at the time, and James [Gunn] asked me if I wanted to be involved, and my answer was, 'Heck yes!'" said Cena via Peacemaker’s official Twitter. "So I got to go on a talk show and talk some smack about Superman."

Cena shows up in one of the best Superman cameos, just after Lex Luthor reveals the full extent of the message sent by Superman’s Kryptonian parents to the world. Soon after, Superman is viciously trolled on various talk shows and online. In one TV segment, we see Peacemaker on a news show talking about the hero: "I can’t say I’m surprised, Cleavis. It’s guys like this, they always gotta whole bunch of dark ugly secrets."

Although Peacemaker only appears for a few moments, the cameo proved to be a big hit with DC fans. In an early screening attended by GamesRadar+, the delighted audience burst into spontaneous laughter as soon as Cena hit the screen. It seems like other fans feel the same way, as one commented on the video, "I’ve seen Superman twice now and both times Peacemaker’s cameo got one of the biggest laughs in the entire theater."

Fans will soon get to see a whole lot more than a few seconds of Cena’s complex hero as Peacemaker season 2 is heading to HBO very shortly. In season 2, Peacemaker "discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands," reads the official synopsis.

Written and partly directed by Gunn, season 2 welcomes back Cena, as well as Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick. New cast members include Rick Flag Sr. star Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, and Tim Meadows.

Peacemaker season 2 lands on HBO Max on August 21. For more on DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and TV shows.