James Gunn lists Better Call Saul and other unique sources as inspiration for his upcoming Peacemaker series. Gunn recently announced that The Suicide Squad is completely finished ahead of its release this summer. Described as a soft reboot of David Ayer's 2016 film, Gunn's Suicide Squad will debut John Cena's Peacemaker character before starring in his own subsequent series on HBO Max. The solo series was ordered before audiences even had a chance to see Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad, so Warner Bros. is clearly banking on the character being a hit. Considering Cena's prowess as a star, it seems he already is.
A prequel to the AMC sensation Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul first premiered in 2015 and follows Jimmy McGill's slow descent into his titular persona, Saul Goodman, a crooked criminal lawyer who often embraces his past tendencies as a con artist. Over its past 5 seasons, the show has been met with widespread critical acclaim that arguably matches that of its predecessor. A sixth and final season of Better Call Saul is currently in production and set to air early next year, but its influence across the television landscape can already be seen.
On Twitter, a fan asked James Gunn what his biggest inspirations were for the Peacemaker series, and he responded with a comprehensive list that includes Better Call Saul and the 1970’s Captain America TV movie. Gunn's list also hilariously includes "Dance Dance Revolution, tightie-whities, Def Leppard, and a rotten childhood," though it is hard to tell if the director is serious about these more obscure sources of inspiration. Read Gunn's full tweet below:
Gunn mentioned in his tweet that his biggest inspiration for the series was Cena taking a Peacemaker costume home to nap in, which is a true story Gunn shared earlier this month. Gunn is known for interacting with fans on social media, as he also recently answered a question about the challenges presented by Peacemaker's reflective helmet when filming. Yet this is the latest fan interaction from Gunn that provides a window into his creative process.
Though it is not apparent what impact some of Gunn's listed inspirations will have on his Peacemaker series, it is not hard to see the similarity between Saul Goodman and Peacemaker. Both are willing to use means antithetical to who they are to achieve a desired result. Jimmy is a lawyer who constantly breaks the law and Peacemaker is a pacifist who proclaims "I cherish peace with all my heart. I don't care how many men, women, and children I need to kill to get it." Like Better Call Saul, Peacemaker's edgy appeal will come from the fact the series centers around an antihero.
Source: James Gunn
