Frank Grillo's Mysterious Lex Luthor Tease Has Us Wondering About The Villain's Fate

5 days ago 9

Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr from Peacemaker S2

Jordan Iacobucci has been an avid reader and movie fan since childhood. Jordan is known among his friends as the Marvel and Star Wars nerd, and even wrote a thirty-page college dissertation about Spider-Man! He has been a staff writer at both Screen Rant and CBR, where he enjoys sharing his love for pop culture with the world.

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Peacemaker Episode 2x06Peacemaker star Frank Grillo just dropped a massive teaser for Lex Luthor's future in the DCU after Nicolas Hoult reprised his iconic supervillain role in the latest episode of the HBO Max series, revealing Lex Luthor's status after the landmark events of Superman. Now, it seems that DC is already teasing what comes next for Hoult's character.

In a post on his Instagram story, Grillo shared a photo of Rick Flag's meeting with Lex Luthor in Peacemaker's latest episode. However, his caption should be enough to pique fans' interest, as he seemingly drops a massive hint about what comes next for the iconic supervillain. "Maybe his orange gets traded in for..." teases the actor, purposefully leaving his fans hanging with a cheeky "stay tuned." While the story is no longer available on the actor's Instagram page, interested fans can check out a screenshot of the post.

Frank Grillo and Nicholas Hoult in Peacemaker

During the events of Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 6, entitled "Ignorance Is Chris," A.R.G.U.S. director Rick Flag Sr. (Grillo) paid a surprise visit to Lex Luthor, who was incarcerated at Belle Reve prison after his arrest at the end of Superman. Flag enlisted the villain's help to track Christopher Smith's interdimensional portal, which resembles the technology that Luthor had used to create a pocket dimension and nearly destroy Metropolis. Luthor isn't as forthcoming as Flag would like, prompting the A.R.G.U.S. director to make him an offer he could never refuse, a "shot at redemption" that viewers can only guess at. Grillo's Instagram post teases that audiences may learn what deal Flag made with Luthor before the end of the season.

What Does Frank Grillo's Tease Mean for Lex Luthor's DCU Future?

Lex Luthor, played by Nicholas Hoult, smiling, wearing blue shirt and tie in the 2025 movie Superman

Frank Grillo's cryptic tease undoubtedly hints at a larger future for Lex Luthor beyond Superman and Peacemaker. No one truly expected Superman to be the last they saw of the DCU's Lex Luthor, but his return has come much faster than anyone expected. His defeat after the Metropolis Incident not only landed him in prison but also left his reputation ruined and his business in tatters. Now, Rick Flag seems to offer him a chance at redemption, suggesting there is still a way for Luthor to get back into the public's good graces. Grillo's post confirms as much, teasing that Luthor won't be confined to Belle Reve for long, and may in fact trade his orange prison jumpsuit for something else.

Given the recent announcement of James Gunn's Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow, it seems likely that Lex Luthor will enter some kind of partnership with the United States government in exchange for a lighter sentence. Early concept art for the 2027 film reveals that Luthor will seemingly team up with his archnemesis, Superman, to protect the Earth from an even bigger threat (likely Brainiac). Gunn has suggested that Peacemaker's final episodes will lead directly into the events of Man of Tomorrow; now, Luthor's cameo brings everything falling into place. Luthor's cooperation with A.R.G.U.S. may lead the organization to utilize his genius in other matters, including whatever threat the Earth will face in Man of Tomorrow. By the end of Peacemaker, fans should expect to learn more about Lex Luthor's deal with Rick Flag and how it will lead directly into the events of Man of Tomorrow.

New episodes of Peacemaker premiere Thursdays at 9:00 pm EST, exclusively on HBO Max.