With Peacemaker, director and writer James Gunn hopes you loved John Cena’s comically stupid killer from The Suicide Squad enough to follow him through eight episodes of a spinoff for HBO Max. In the show’s first trailer from DC Fandome, it looks like Gunn may have another winner on his hands, provided you can groove along with his and Cena’s madness.
Set after the events of The Suicide Squad movie, the show finds Peacemaker conscripted by Chukwudi Iwuji’s Munn to avoid prison time (again) by killing people. So, basically what he was doing for Amanda Waller in the movie, but considerably more audacious, made clear by him and his BFF Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) practicing their weapons skills by shooting guns between their legs at household appliances and kids toys.
With the help of Economos (Steve Agee) and Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), plus new team member Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), Peacemaker will presumably save the world, but in his own goofy way. As is the case with Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies, the show will certainly delve into the mindset of its big misfit, mainly by bringing in Robert Patrick as his father Auggie Smith and opening up those childhood wounds. After all, you’re not a superhero if you don’t get emotional closure by yelling at your dad. The whole trailer looks very silly and very stupid, in a good way; Cena’s got great comedy chops, and this looks very much like a thing Gunn would do with some Warner Bros. money. There’s even a little bit of Deadpool energy from Vigilante, who gives some not so helpful advice about the different kinds of killers.
Also, John Cena gets hugged by an eagle. It’s just stupid enough to be charming. Peacemaker will debut on Binge in January 2022.