Jared Leto’s Band Thirty Seconds to Mars is Recipient of James Gunn Not-So-Subtle Dig in ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2

You’re minding your own business, just watching a show, when suddenly the writers decide to throw some shade that makes you do a double-take. Well, James Gunn just served up one hell of a roast in the season 2 premiere of Peacemaker, and his target? The bullseye was Jared Leto’s band, Thirty Seconds to Mars. And honestly, it’s about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Oww.

Thirty Seconds To… Insult

The whole thing starts innocently enough. Chris Smith (John Cena) notices Emilia Harcourt’s bloody knuckles after she’s had what we can only assume was a therapeutic relationship with her car dashboard. Like any good friend would do, Chris offers his own brand of comfort by basically insulting her taste in music. Because nothing says “I care” quite like trashing someone’s playlist, right?

“Last time I was in that car, it was playing some Spin Doctors and Thirty Seconds to Mars or some sh*t,” Chris says with all the diplomatic grace of a wrecking ball. “I was gonna kick its ass then, but you two seemed like you were on good terms.”

But wait, there’s more! Because apparently, Gunn wasn’t done twisting the knife. Wait til the end.

The Post-Credits Scene That Nobody Asked For (But We All Needed)

Just when you think the Thirty Seconds to Mars roasting is over, Gunn hits us with a post-credits scene that’s basically a masterclass in how to kick someone when they’re already down. And let’s be honest, using precious post-credits real estate to continue dunking on a rock band? That’s some next-level petty energy right there.

Harcourt, clearly offended by the musical comparison, fires back: “You can’t be looping Spin Doctors in with Thirty Seconds to Mars. Spin Doctors: so good!”

Chris, never one to back down from a musical debate, delivers what might be the most devastating burn in superhero television history: “Yeah, geez, anybody’s better than Thirty Seconds to Mars. That garage band I was in for two seconds is better than Thirty Seconds to Mars.”

Ouch. That’s not just throwing shade – that’s launching a full-scale solar eclipse.

Thirty Seconds to Mars or Jared Leto: More Than Random Band Hate?

For context. Jared Leto, the frontman of Thirty Seconds to Mars, also happened to play the Joker in the previous DC universe. You know, the one that Gunn basically scrapped when he took over DC Studios. Coincidence? In Hollyweird? Please, we think not.

Gunn’s track record with social media suggests this isn’t just about music. The man’s been known to express his opinions about various aspects of the previous DC regime, and let’s just say he hasn’t always been, uh, diplomatic about it. When you consider that Leto’s Joker didn’t make the cut for The Suicide Squad, despite other characters crossing over, this musical mockery starts to feel a lot more pointed.

The timing is particularly interesting. Thirty Seconds to Mars formed back in 1998 with Leto and his brother Shannon, and they’ve released six studio albums since then. They’ve had their share of success, but apparently not enough to escape Gunn’s comedic crosshairs.

The Broader Impact on Peacemaker‘s Tone

James Gunn has always been able to masterfully balance crass and crude humor with true emotional moments, and this musical mockery fits perfectly. It’s edgy without being mean-spirited (well, mostly), and it gives the audience a sense that nothing is sacred in this world.

Plus, let’s be real – how many TV shows would dedicate multiple scenes and a post-credits sequence to dunking on one specific band? It’s the kind of commitment to a bit that you have to respect, even if you’re a die-hard Jared Leto or Thirty Seconds to Mars fan.

Will James Gunn Be Throwing More Shade At Music in the DCU?

Gunn’s clearly not interested in tiptoeing around the previous regime’s choices, and he’s willing to have some fun at their expense. Whether that’s healthy for the brand or just petty remains to be seen, but it certainly makes for entertaining television.

The fact that characters from the previous universe (like Peacemaker himself) can exist in this new continuity while still taking shots at elements from the old one creates an interesting dynamic. It’s like Gunn is saying, “We’ll keep what worked, but we’re definitely going to make fun of what didn’t.”

As Peacemaker season 2 continues, it’ll be interesting to see if Gunn keeps up this level of meta-commentary, or if the Thirty Seconds to Mars roasting was just an isolated indulgence. Either way, it’s clear that under Gunn’s leadership, the DCU isn’t afraid to ruffle some feathers – even if those feathers belong to a rock band that just wanted to make music and probably didn’t ever expect to get dragged into superhero television drama.