PEACEMAKER
In a world exclusive, James Gunn and John Cena talk The Suicide Squad ’s TV spin-off PEACEMAKER
The first look at the prequel spin-off from James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, featuring John Cena, a massive helmet, and a punchline that writes itself.
“PEACEMAKER’S A PIECE of shit. He’s not a good guy. And he wears the goofiest costume you’ve ever seen in your life.” James Gunn there, on the title character of the DC Extended Universe’s first-ever TV show. Which begs the Starro-sized question: why, of all the Task Force X members in The Suicide Squad, did he plump for the a-hole in the chrome toilet-seat helmet?
The idea first occurred to writer-director Gunn during the shoot for The Suicide Squad. Specifically, during a close-up on John Cena’s face, where he’s struggling over the moral implications of what he’s doing. “Peacemaker has a clear set of ideals that I find really interesting,” says Gunn. “You know: ‘I want peace no matter how many men, women and children I need to kill to get it.’ Sounds like nonsense, but it also makes a lot of sense. And you see in John’s performance how he does not feel good about it — something I thought was the seed of an entire eight-episode show.”
That seed germinated furiously during the first Covid lockdown, just after The Suicide Squad wrapped. Gunn wrote all eight episodes, before calling Cena and asking if he’d be up for it. Cena said yes before Gunn had even finished pitching it. “This guy is a loud, obnoxious, bro-ey douchebag. That sucks. But why?” asks Cena. “At what point did he become such a douchebag and what does that mean? There’s a lot to dive into there.”
This isn’t merely an origin story, Gunn confirms. It also serves up “a big sciencefiction story”, as well as giving Gunn the opportunity to depict an also-ran ‘hero’ in a universe of big-hitters. “He lives in the world of Superman, Batman and Aquaman, and that is not an easy thing for him to contend with.” However, the show does allow Gunn to tackle some real-world issues, too. “He represents a part of the world populace at this point that is problematic to say the least,” says Gunn, “and puts him in a situation where he has to face the choices he’s made throughout his life and the extremity of his views.”
Peacemaker has to play with others, including The Suicide Squad’s guy-in-the-chair John Economos (Steve Agee), Freddie Stroma as fellow crimefighter Vigilante, and Orange Is The New Black’s Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo — a character whom Gunn describes as “the opposite of Peacemaker in so many ways”, creating a relationship he found fun to explore. “Peacemaker dealing with his own issues, his own politics, and people that are different from him was an exciting basis for a show.” In short, prepare yourself for a deep dive into a douchebag.
PEACEMAKER IS DUE TO AIR IN 2022