The photo isn’t much. A hug, a smile, the kind of industry warmth that fills red carpets and premiere lobbies. Yet the internet being the internet—hungry, restless, suspicious—saw James Gunn standing with Eternals star Kumail Nanjiani at the Peacemaker Season 2 premiere earlier this year, and immediately transformed a casual embrace into a potential casting confirmation. Booster Gold. HBO Max. The long-delayed DC comedy series. Suddenly, a hug becomes a headline.
And maybe that’s the problem. Or maybe it’s the magic of comic-book culture: the idea that one candid photo can ignite an entire fandom’s speculation machine.
A Superhero Who Never Quite Fit In
Booster Gold has always been an oddball in the DC canon. Michael Carter—a failed athlete from the future who steals advanced tech and travels back in time to reinvent himself as a superhero—was never Superman. Never Batman. He was a punchline, until he wasn’t. Gunn, who has a taste for misfit heroes (The Suicide Squad, Guardians of the Galaxy), earmarked Booster Gold for DC Studios’ Chapter 1 slate back in January 2023.
Since then? Silence. A few development notes, some reshuffling of writers, but no official casting. In July 2024, niche outlet Nexus Point News claimed Nanjiani had already landed the role. It sounded far-fetched, until Our Flag Means Death creator David Jenkins confirmed months later that he had inherited the pilot script, originally developed by Danny McBride, John Carcieri, and Jeff Fradley. That kind of detail—the kind you can’t make up—gave the rumor real teeth.
The Friction of Casting
Here’s where things get thorny. Carter is traditionally a white, blond, thirty-something American. Nanjiani is Pakistani-American, 47, and known more for cerebral comedy than golden-boy swagger. Some fans argue it’s a bold, overdue twist. Others cry “miscast” before a single frame has been shot.
And it isn’t just the racial angle. The DCU already stretched age expectations by casting Nathan Fillion—now 59—as Hal Jordan in the upcoming Lanterns series. To critics, adding another older hero risks building a universe where half the Justice League retires before they debut.
Still, look at Nanjiani’s career. The Oscar-nominated The Big Sick. His body transformation for Marvel’s Eternals. His sharp comic timing in Silicon Valley. He’s been underestimated before, then leveled up in ways that made people eat their words.
Timing, Cameos, and the Peacemaker Factor
So why does this hug matter? Because Gunn himself teased a “really, really, really big cameo” for Peacemaker Season 2. The series, set to feed directly into the broader DCU, could easily drop Carter in for a one-scene gag or a longer arc.
Is it proof? No. Gunn has a history of casting friends in one-off cameos, and Nanjiani already had a scrapped part in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 before Marvel conflicts pulled the plug. This might be friendship, not foreshadowing. Still—the absence of a denial from Gunn, usually quick to swat down viral rumors, has only fanned the flames.
Meanwhile, the Booster Gold series itself has no release window. Jenkins only boarded recently, and production hasn’t begun. Which means if Nanjiani really is Booster, his first appearance may slip into a different project—Peacemaker in 2025, or even the Blue Beetle animated sequel planned for 2026, given the iconic Carter/Kord partnership.
The Human Side of Hype
What fascinates me isn’t just the rumor, but the reaction. The speed at which one picture—an embrace, nothing more—becomes cultural ammunition. The outrage. The excitement. The cynicism. Gorgeous. Grating. Gorgeous again.
Casting debates are rarely just about acting. They’re about identity, legacy, and the impossible tug-of-war between nostalgia and reinvention. Nanjiani’s Booster Gold, if it’s real, would carry all of that weight. Maybe too much. Or maybe that’s exactly why it works.
What You Should Know About the Booster Gold Rumor
The photo that reignited it all — James Gunn and Kumail Nanjiani together at the Peacemaker Season 2 premiere.
Development has been messy — The Booster Gold project has shifted writers, with David Jenkins now penning the pilot as of late 2024.
Casting debate is intense — Fans are split over Nanjiani’s age and race compared to comic-book Michael Carter.
Gunn hasn’t denied it — The DC Studios co-CEO often debunks false rumors, but here he’s stayed quiet.
Possible debut projects — If true, Nanjiani could appear in Peacemaker Season 2 (2025) or the Blue Beetle animated sequel (2026).
So maybe this hug is nothing. Maybe it’s everything. The beauty of comic-book cinema is that we don’t know until the screen lights up. What do you think—would Kumail Nanjiani redefine Booster Gold, or is this rumor one bridge too far for the DCU?
