James Gunn Reveals His First Pick For PEACEMAKER Was Dave Bautista
When The Suicide Squad hit theaters back in 2021, fans were introduced to one of the most unexpected breakout characters in the DC lineup… Peacemaker, brought to life by John Cena. But according to writer-director James Gunn, Cena wasn’t originally meant to wear the shiny chrome helmet.
During a recent chat on The Howard Stern Show, Gunn revealed that the role was first offered to Dave Bautista, best known to Marvel fans as Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.
“I wrote the character of Peacemaker for him, and we offered him the role, but it was offered two movies, and we weren’t paying him a lot, so he had to go where the money was.”
While Bautista moved on, Gunn quickly found his perfect match in Cena. The filmmaker admitted he had already been impressed with him since Trainwreck.
“I’ve always been a fan of John [Cena] since Trainwreck especially, I thought he was so so funny in that movie.
“I met with him, we talked, we became instant, instant friends, and since then, you know, I’ve worked with him more than any other actor because I’ve done two seasons of Peacemaker, Suicide Squad, and you know we’re going to be doing more together.
“So, he’s a fantastic guy, a fantastic actor. Really, I think I love the Peacemaker show more than anything else I’ve ever done.”
More than four years after The Suicide Squad, it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone but Cena in the role. His mix of absurd comedy and unexpected emotional depth made the gun-toting anti-hero one of the standout characters of the DCEU.
Cena’s take on Peacemaker has since carried over into the brand-new DC Universe, proving that the character isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Gunn didn’t spill details about Peacemaker’s future, but his comments hint that he already has a clear path for the character in the DCU.