Peacemaker star Lochlyn Munro reveals that writer-director James Gunn cast him for the series based on his audition from 20 years ago for Scooby-Doo. The upcoming series is based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name and serves as a spin-off to Gunn's latest directorial venture The Suicide Squad. Set after the events of the film, the series will follow the titular antihero's subsequent missions and explain his origins. Peacemaker will consist of eight episodes and is set to debut on HBO Max on January 13, 2022.
Gunn first announced himself by directing the 2006 indie horror-comedy film, Slither, which he followed up with 2010's dark comedy and superhero satire, Super. His entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with 2014's universally acclaimed blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy turned him into a household name in Hollywood, and he went on to helm the sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the recent DCEU film, The Suicide Squad. But before his big break as a director with Slither, he served as the scriptwriter for 2002's Scooby-Doo and 2004's Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed.
In the latest episode of the entertainment podcast, The Dave and Creech Show (via Dave Sheridan), Lochlyn Munro, who stars in Peacemaker, revealed how he was cast for the DCEU series. He mentioned how he had auditioned for the role of Shaggy in 2002's live-action Scooby-Doo film and cited that as the reason for Gunn choosing to take him up for a role in the upcoming series. He even showcased his take on some signature dialogues of the iconic character. His full quote can be read below:
"I ended up in this project because when he saw my tape, he remembered that I was one of his choices for Shaggy. So, I went in - Obviously, [Matthew] Lillard was the perfect choice for that character. But that's kind of how he went, 'Oh, yeah, I want Lochlyn in this, because I remember he was one of my choices for Scooby-Doo.' Twenty years later, isn't that weird?"
The Scooby-Doo feature films,which were based on the iconic long-running animated TV series of the same name by Hanna-Barbera, received negative reviews from critics at the time of release but still turned out to be a box-office success. It also proved to be a stepping stone for Gunn as it was his first major Hollywood screenplay. Munro may not have been Gunn's first choice to play Shaggy, but working on Peacemaker with the talented filmmaker would more than make up for the disappointment of losing out on that role. The Canadian actor will be playing the role of Larry Fitzgibbon, which is said to be an original character created by Gunn for the series.
Munro has had his fair share of roles on screen, appearing in several films like Scary Movie, White Chicks, Freddy vs. Jason, and television shows that included guest appearances in Castle, Lucifer and an extensive role in teen drama, Riverdale. While it would be hard to imagine an actor other than Lillard for the part of Shaggy, Munro's brief impressions of the character prove that he is a man of many talents and would've been quite suitable for the role as well. Audiences can catch him on Peacemaker when it premieres in a few months.
Source: Dave Sheridan