Director James Gunn explains the Peacemaker opening dance sequence. Peacemaker stars John Cena as the titular character, a rowdy, unhinged, and dedicated anti-hero who first appeared in Gunn's The Suicide Squad in 2021. Created by Joe Gill and Pat Boyette in 1966 for Charlton Comics, Peacemaker was later acquired by DC Comics in the 80s, where he would go on to appear in multiple books, including his own mini-series. The Suicide Squad was Peacemaker's first appearance in live-action form.
Gunn wrote the Peacemaker series during Covid lockdown, mostly for fun, but when asked by HBO Max if he'd like to do a spinoff, the series became a reality. Cena agreed to return to the character immediately and the show put together a cast that includes Jennifer Holland, Emilia Harcourt, Danielle Brooks, and Robert Patrick. Also joining the show are some familiar DC characters making their DCEU debut, including Freddie Stroma as Vigilante and Nhut Le as Judomaster.
Peacemaker will have a similar tone and style to Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which is crude, violent, and over the top, this time including a dance number. The opening dance sequence involves the whole cast, which has them all performing in a serious manner. Gunn addressed the sequence to Screen Rant, saying he "loves dance sequences" and just wrote it into the script because he thought it was "really funny." He goes on to explain the intent, saying, "That too was a way to show audiences that you don't know what to expect from this show." Gunn continued, clarifying that Peacemaker is not your run-of-the-mill superhero show, saying, "This is not your usual DC or Marvel TV show. This is a show in which our characters can do the most ridiculous dance in the world with the most serious look on their faces. I hired a choreographer by the name of Charissa Barton, who was incredibly talented and she helped me to put it together and we shot it in a day in a high school auditorium."
Peacemaker is the first live-action spinoff show from the DCEU to debut on HBO Max, but more are on the way. In addition to Peacemaker, The Batman already has two spinoff shows in the works, Gotham PD and a Penguin series with Colin Farrell. In addition to shows, there are also live-action features debuting on the streamer on the way, starting with Batgirl later this year. Gunn has already hinted at more spinoffs in the works from his stable, teasing that the final episode of Peacemaker may well reveal what comes next.
While The Suicide Squad didn't ignite the box office, it left a positive mark with critics and fans nonetheless, making a Peacemaker spinoff a welcome venture. Dance numbers, excessive violence, crude humor, a bald eagle sidekick, and an 80s hair metal soundtrack all feel like a welcome retreat for a superhero show, and the hype behind Peacemaker continues to evolve. Fans will no doubt be talking about the show as each new episode debuts, as early critic reviews have already lauded it with massive praise. The first three episodes of Peacemaker will premiere on January 13th on HBO Max, with the remaining five episodes premiering weekly afterward.
Source: Screen Rant
