Peacemaker (TV series)

***Peacemaker*** is a 2022 television series created by James Gunn for the streaming service HBO Max. The series is based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker. The series is first television spin-off from the DC Extended Universe, carrying on from the 2021 film *The Suicide Squad* which was also written and directed by Gunn. *Peaceamker* is set after the events of *The Suicide Squad*, exploring the character of Peacemaker who believes in achieving peace at any cost.

John Cena stars as the title character Peacemaker, reprising the role from *The Suicide Squad.* The cast includes Steve Agee as John Economos, Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Robert Patrick as August "Auggie" Smith/White Dragon, Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, and Chukwudi Iwuji as Clemson Murn. Gunn wrote all eight episodes of the series while completing work on *The Suicide Squad* during the COVID-19 pandemic, before HBO Max officially ordered *Peacemaker* straight-to-series in September 2020.

*Peacemaker* premiered on January 13, 2022 with three episodes. The rest of the series is being released weekly through February 17. The series also has received positive reviews from critics.

## Premise

*PEACEMAKER explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of executive producer James Gunn’s 2021 film The Suicide Squad – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it!*

## Cast and characters

### Main

* John Cena as Peacemaker
* Steve Agee as John Economos
* Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo
* Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith† (Season 1)
* Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt
* Freddie Stroma as Vigilante
* Chukwudi Iwuji as Clemson Murn† (Season 1)

### Recurring

* Lochlyn Munro as Larry Fitzgibbon† (Season 1)
* Annie Chang as Detective Sophie Song† (Season 1)
* Christopher Heyerdahl as Captain Caspar Locke† (Season 1)
* Elizabeth Ludlow as Keeya
* Rizwan Manji as Jamil
* Nhut Le as Judomaster
* Alison Araya as Amber Calcaterra
* Lenny Jacobson as Evan Calcaterra
* Dee Bradley Baker voices Eagly
* Stephen Blackehart voices Charlie the gorilla† (Season 1)

### Uncredited

* Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
* Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/ Flash
* Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/ Aquaman
* Brad Abramenko as Superman
* Kimberly Von Ilberg as Wonder Woman
* Matt Turner as Batman
* Unknown as Cyborg

## Gallery

### Videos

Peacemaker's Best Moments - The Suicide Squad - HBO MaxNew On HBO Max In 2022Dune, The Matrix Resurrections, And Just Like That & More - New on HBO MaxPeacemaker - Official Trailer - HBO MaxPeacemaker - Official Teaser - HBO MaxPeacemaker - Exclusive Clip - HBO MaxPeacemaker - Official Red Band Trailer - HBO MaxPeacemaker - The Story So Far - HBO MaxPodly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep.1 with James Gunn - HBO MaxPodly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 2 with Chukwudi Iwuji - HBO Max-2Podly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 3 with Danielle Brooks - HBO Max-2Podly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 4 with Freddie Stroma - HBO Max-2Podly- The Peacemaker Podcast- Ep. 5 with Steve Agee - HBO MaxPodly- The Peacemaker Podcast- Ep. 6 with Jennifer Holland - HBO Max-2Podly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 7 with John Cena - HBO Max-2Podly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 8 with James Gunn - HBO Max-2Peacemaker - BFFs Featurette - HBO MaxPeacemaker - Opening Credits - HBO MaxPeacemaker - "Reflecting on Rick Flag" Clip - HBO MaxJohn Cena Dishes on Peacemaker and His Love of AntiquingPeacemaker - Peacemaker Is Better Than... - HBO MaxKevin Smith Talks Peacemaker with James Gunn EP 4 Sneak PeekPeacemaker 1x04 Promo "The Choad Less Traveled"Peacemaker 1x05 Promo "Monkey Dory" (HD) John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffPeacemaker 1x06 Promo "Murn After Reading" (HD) John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffPeacemaker 1x07 Promo "Stop Dragon My Heart Around" (HD) John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffPeacemaker 1x08 Promo (HD) Season Finale - John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffPeacemaker - Peacemaker Reads Mean Tweets - HBO GOPeacemaker - Opening Credits Behind The Scenes - HBO MaxVigilante Comic Origins Explained - PeacemakerThe White Dragon Complete Comic Book History - PeacemakerHistory of PeacemakerPeacemaker- James Gunn, John Cena & Jennifer Holland Talk Improv, Comics & More!‘Peacemaker’ Creator James Gunn, Star John Cena, and His Costars Reveal the Best Dancer‘Peacemaker’ Interviews - James Gunn, John Cena, Jennifer Holland + More!Peacemaker -Shorts - Peacemaker Is UpsetAdebayo Meets Peacemaker's Best Friend Eagly - Peacemaker - HBO MaxPeacemaker - Episode 5 Outtakes - HBO MaxNew In February 2022 - HBO MaxPeacemaker (HBO Max) "Meet Eagly" Featurette HD - John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffMeet Peacemaker's Best Friend Eagly Peacemaker - HBO MaxPeacemaker's Jennifer Holland Intro Dance Behind The Scenes - Peacemaker -ShortsPeacemaker -Shorts - Opening Credits Behind The ScenesPeacemaker -Shorts - Peacemaker Intro BTSPeacemaker Behind The Scenes Set Tour - Peacemaker - HBO MaxJohn Cena Plays Make It Last and Talks DC’s Peacemaker - The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
## Trivia:

* It is the first DC Extended Universe (DCEU) television series and a spin-off from the 2021 film *The Suicide Squad*.
	+ Set after the events of the film, the series follows jingoistic killer Christopher Smith/Peacemaker as he joins "Project Butterfly", a black ops squad that targets parasitic butterfly-like creatures.
* On January 7, 2022, Danielle Brooks mentioned how Adebayo is the kind of role she never expected to play. However, Gunn specifically thought of Brooks to be the show’s second lead since he was a fan of her after watching *Orange is the New Black*.
* On January 10, 2022, James Gunn unveiled the official Peacemaker playlist on Spotify. The Soundtrack specifically covers music used across the first three episodes which premiered on Thursday January 13, 2022.
	+ Also on this day it was revealed that alhough Chris Conrad filmed five episodes of *Peacemaker*, he departed the show and was recast with Freddie Stroma. Gunn further mentioned he and Conrad were on different pages about certain things, and he doesn't think Conrad wanted to continue on the series in the long run. As a result, they brought Freddie in, five-and-a-half episodes in, and Gunn reshot and directed all of Vigilante's scenes in five and a half episodes.
* Moreover, it was mentioned how Smith debuted in a *Fightin’ 5 #40* backup in 1966 thanks to Joe Gill and Pat Boyette and again in the next issue published by a totally different company called Charlton Comics. That particular series was essentially cancelled — #42 through #49 are reprints instead of new material, and replaced by *Peacemaker* in 1967. But it was far from a hit, so that book was shuttered after just five issues, and that was pretty much it for nearly two decades.
* On January 11, 2022, said (in regards to the music that), "it really is all hair metal. A lot of 80s hair metal, but it's also a lot of modern sleaze rock and hair metal that comes out of Europe – a lot of really great bands that people don't know about," Gunn said during the Television Critics Association summer press tour. "I love that stuff but there's also a lot of really bad hair metal. So, it was fun finding the really good stuff to inject the series with flavor, which we keep throughout the whole first season."
	+ Also on this day,James Gunn went onto described Peacemaker as a superhero, supervillain, and the world’s biggest douchebag. “He’s like a douchey Captain America,” agreed Cena when his take on the character was first revealed during DC FanDome. “[Peacemaker is] a guy who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he needs to kill along the way,” Gunn added. In addition, they revealed that Christopher Smith, a.k.a. DC Comics’ Peacemaker originated in Charlton Comics in 1966.
* On January 12, 2022, Gunn revalead that until *Peacemaker*, he had never written any scripted television. In fact, he’s not even sure he’d ever read a TV script prior to writing his own in an effort to keep himself busy during the pandemic’s early days. Thus, as a massive TV fan, Gunn decided to take inspiration from some of his favorite television shows and apply those attributes to *Peacemaker*, the Suicide Squad spinoff centered on John Cena’s Christopher “Peacemaker” Smith. One of the series that Gunn cites as an influence on his HBO Max show is Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould’s *Breaking Bad* prequel/sequel, *Better Call Saul*, starring Bob Odenkirk as Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman...
* On January 13, 2022, Gunn mentioned that “I really wanted to do a dance number where everybody was doing something incredibly ridiculous, and looked incredibly serious while they were doing it. Among other things, he envisioned it as a way to 'vanquish the skip forward button' and allow people to see the credits of those who worked on the show...”
	+ Gunn went onto revealed that he and his crew shot Cena dancing in his underwear on the first day of shooting, and he came in & destroyed it, completely vulnerable & courageous.
	+ Steve Agee shared a short BTS clip of Danielle Brooks as her character of Leota Adebayo reciting some of her hilarious monologue. But admitedly they went through a lot of takes because no one, not even Gunn could keep a straight face and kept laughing.
	+ In response to a viewer asking Gunn what inspired the title sequence, he said that previously, he had done an animated opening dance sequence for his movie *SUPER* & thus, he wanted to do something like that in live action. Also, he wanted to VANQUISH THE SKIP FORWARD BUTTON so people see some of the folks who worked so hard on the show!
	+ Gunn also mentioned how in terms of music, Glam metal is woven throughout each episode.
	+ In terms of the aspect ratio for the show, Gunn says that while he understands people using the 2.30 aspect ratios in the cinema, like he does sometimes, but he wanted to make sure to use as much of the screen as possible.
	+ When it comes to Eagly, Gunn revealed that he is not a real eagle. In reality, he’s usually a visual effect done my Guy Williams and his friends at @weta\_digital. However, they did initially have a real eagle on set once and he wasn’t into it and so as to put the eagle through a bad time, they went with a CGI option.
	+ In regards to the bloody and torn uniform that Peacemaker wore in the Suicide Squad film, Gunn confirmed that they kept the same dirty uniform from the film to use in the premiere.
	+ As for the now iconic opening credits intro for the series, Gunn mentioned that he came up with the idea and how to implement it, he then wrote into the script, and the wonderful @charissabarton1 choreographed it for him. He also threw some kudos at all the actors, who worked really hard learning the moves.
	+ Gunn went onto mention how he wrote the role of White Dragon for Robert Patrick after seeing him in the HBO show *Perry Mason*. Gunn gushed how, Patrick had such gravity & was a good asshole in his role, which he needed for this reole on Peacemaker.
	+ Jennifer Holland said that she rehearsed one of her fight scenes for many days with John Cena‘s stunt double Spencer and her stunt double Yulia...
* On January 14, 2022, after the airing of "The Choad Less Traveled", Gunn mentioned that Peacemaker's dig at Batman's expense almost didn’t fly at DC. In the end, the DC overlords “were great,” Gunn said. “They let me get away with what I got away with at the end of the day.” However, HBO Max did expressed “some concerns” about Peacemaker’s father being a white supremacist. (“That was a delicate situation,” Gunn said.) “The only other thing that HBO Max ever said to me at all was, ‘We’re HBO and you guys are saying the F-word so many times’. As for the violence and the sex, Gunn mentioned that “There was one moment they were afraid of us showing that comes in Episode 6 that I pretty much insisted on keeping,” Gunn teased.
	+ Also on this day, it was mentioned how it was a deliberate choice to have Vigilante be different from how he's been portrayed in the comics and in other DC Comics show (i.e. Arrowverse). Gunn said that, “I thought, if this guy really existed, there really was a Vigilante, a guy who dresses up in a costume, and goes around and kills people he says are doing something wrong — what would he really be like? And that’s where Vigilante came [from]. He’s very off, and he’s a sociopath, but he’s got this sort of sweet aspect to him...”
	+ Jenniffer Holland also went onto mention that the car scene with Emilia Harcourt and Leota Adebayo was the first time that she and Danielle Brooks worked together in the series.
* On January 15, 2022, Chukwudi Iwuji who portrays Clemson Murn, an original character developed by James Gunn, said that because the mercenary doesn't exist in the DC comic books, Iwuji imagined a backstory to play the character with a sordid — and top-secret — past. Iwuji went onto say how, "It's always cool to play someone with a dark past, sort of working on redemption. That's always such a great arc for an actor because you like to sort of live in the darkness, but redemption is something you look for," Iwuji said on HBO Max's *Podly: The Peacemaker Podcast*. "I love that. I love the acting challenge of being British-Nigerian and playing American parts...even the name 'Clemson,' which is a very Southern name, just having this deeply steeped American role over the course of a whole series was such a joy for me."
	+ Also on this day Gunn said that “When I wrote the show, all I thought about was amusing myself. I let myself go hog-wild”. Then, after he finished a multi-episode treatment for Peacemaker , he rang up Cena, who instantly agreed to return as the little-known DC Comics character.
* On January 16, 2022, Lochlyn Munro and Annie Chang shared some behind the scenes images of them as their characters on set.
	+ Gunn also shared some behind the scenes images of the filming of the show's opening credits intro.
* On January 18, 2022, when asked how *Peacemaker* connects to other DC productions in theaters and TV, Gunn quickly confirmed the show doesn’t take place in a separate universe. As Gunn puts it:"It [Peacemaker] is part of the DCU, I mean they can use these characters... I mean one of these characters, which people have kind of figured out, one of these characters is used in a future big DC movie that's from here. So we are connected to all of this. Who knows what role these characters are going to play in the future? I mean no one knew who the Guardians of the Galaxy were, and then all of a sudden they're massive players in Infinity War [Avengers] and Endgame [Avengers]. So who knows what's going to happen with Peacemaker in ten years, five years, or whatever."
	+ Jennifer Holland also went onto share some behind the scene shots from the day they filmed the butt baby scene in episode 3 of *Peacemaker*.
* On January 20, 2022, Gunn joked that he was very glad that his show has influced the internet even more like with several people googling if wookies have teeth on their buttholes.
	+ Also on this day, Gunn shared a behind the scenes image of Freddie Stroma as Vigilante on set.
* On January 22, 2022, Gunn went onto thank Elizabeth Banks, whom he called to do an asshole check to make sure that Stroma was a good guy (because he won’t work with assholes), and since she worked with him on *Pitch Perfect* she told him that he was great guy.
	+ He also mentioned that Stroma actually spoke in an American accent the whole time he was shooting & hanging out with them for months. So naturally, John Cena nearly fell over when they wrapped and Stroma used his British accent.
* On January 25 2022 it was revealed the two songs featured on Peacemaker debuted on Billboard's Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart on this day.
* On January 28, 2022, Gunn mentioned that the cast's name for their actual group text chain was named by Jennifer Holland, who named them the 11th Street Kids. Steve Agee went onto add the Hanoi Rocks pic.
	+ Regarding Peacemaker's list of people to frame instead of his dad, that some of the list was scripted, bur some was John improvising, & some was him improvising & throwing names at John. It actually went on forever & they lost their composure a lot. Moroever, their usually-professional crew fell apart at the Riverdale mention.
* On January 29, 2022, Gunn was asked if the choice of using Hanoi Rocks has deeper meaning, but he mentioned that there is no deeper meaning.
	+ Gunn also mentioned that on Chris' phone, he has Emilia registered as Hardcore and not Harcourt.
* On January 30, 2022, Gunn mentioned that DC is not one thing. But rather a beautiful aspect of comics & films based on comics; is they can be in any genre & for many ages...
* On February 5, 2022, Gunn mentioned that the kids LOVED calling Peacemaker a loser.
	+ He also mentioned that one of the things most discussed with everyone on the team was whether these scenes with Locke killing the defenseless cops was too harsh. But he thought it was necessary to show how Peacemaker is changing & to show we aren’t taking half measures.
	+ He also confirmed that when a butterfly, the human host does die, because their brain is half-mulched as they sit in you like a little man in Voltron.
	+ Gunn further revealed that Chukwudi auditioned with the scene where he was essentially portraying a character who was an alien struggling with the emotions & memories of the body he’s taken over while feeling his own guilt for taking him over.
* On February 7, 2022, Gunn teased the final two episodes of the series, and shared a BTS pic of John Cena as Peacemaker on set.
* On February 8, 2022, Gunn mentioned that on the 7th, he and a few members of the cast in Atlanta watched episodes 7 & 8 on a big screen.
* On February 10, 2022, Gunn was asked if the red visor in Vigilante's mask is prescription, to which Gunn did in fact confirm that he does.
* On February 12, 2022, Gunn mentioned how Chukwudi Iwuji who plays Murn has become a very close friend over the making of the show. But he wrote the script before they had met.
	+ He also mentioned that the opening credits during this episode play a bit on the viewer's heartstrings.
	+ Nhut Le, who portrays Judomasters gave a shout out to his stunt double Derick who fell on the set toilet EIGHT times in order to get that shot.
	+ Nhut Lee further revealed that some alternate lines he was brainstorming. But he thinks that ultimately, the best one was chosen. However, there were a few that were much more raunchy.

## References

1. ↑ Peacemaker Cameo Extends James Gunn's Casting Record (Not Nathan Fillion) - Screen Rant
2. ↑ Why That Big Cameo In Peacemaker Episode 1 Is So Important - Slashfilm
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 ‘They Let Me Do Whatever I Want’: James Gunn on the ‘Peacemaker’ Finale - Rollingstone
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Superman and Wonder Woman’s Stunt Doubles In Peacemaker Series Revealed The BTS Photos - Maxblizz
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Peacemaker: Batman and Cyborg Were 'Scrubbed' Out of Finale, Actor Claims - TV Line
6. ↑ ‘Peacemaker’ Star Danielle Brooks on Joining the DC Universe: ‘I’ve Never Seen Anyone Like Myself in This World’ - Variety
7. ↑ Peacemaker Official Playlist - Spotify
8. ↑ Why Peacemaker Recast Vigilante After 5 Episodes, Explained By James Gunn - Screen Rant
9. ↑ Origin Story: Peacemaker - Fandom
10. ↑ John Cena Reveals Peacemaker Opens With Big Dance Number Theme Song - Comicbook.com
11. ↑ HBO Max's Peacemaker Explained: John Cena's Character Wasn't Always DC - IGN
12. ↑ James Gunn on ‘Peacemaker’ and the Influence of ‘Better Call Saul’ - THR
13. ↑ James Gunn wants to ‘vanquish the skip’ intro button with Peacemaker’s musical opening credits - Polygon
14. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part I - Twitter
15. ↑ Steve Agee Jan 13, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
16. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part II - Twitter
17. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part III - Twitter
18. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 4 - Twitter
19. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 5 - Twitter
20. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 6 - Twitter
21. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 7 - Twitter
22. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 8 - Twitter
23. ↑ James Gunn Jan 13, 2022 Tweet Part 9 - Twitter
24. ↑ Jennifer Holland Jan. 13, 2022 Tweet Part 1
25. ↑ Peacemaker Calling Batman a [NSFW! Almost Didn't Pass Muster at DC - TV Line]
26. ↑ Peacemaker’s Vigilante isn’t anything like the comics by design - Polygon
27. ↑ Jennifer Holland Jan. 14th, 2022 Twet Part 1 - Twitter
28. ↑ Peacemaker's Chukwudi Iwuji Created a Backstory for Original Character Clemson Murn - Comicbook.com
29. ↑ John Cena and James Gunn break all the rules with DC's 'Peacemaker' - Toronto Sun
30. ↑ Lochlyn Munro Jan. 16, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
31. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 16th, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
32. ↑ James Gunn Confirms a ‘Peacemaker’ Character Will Return for a “Future Big DC Movie” - Collider
33. ↑ Jennifer Holland Jan. 18, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
34. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 20th, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
35. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 20th, 2022 Twee Part 2 - Twitter
36. ↑ James Gunn January 22, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
37. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 22, 2022 Tweet Part II - Twitter
38. ↑ Ryan Downey Jan. 25, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
39. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 28, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
40. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 28, 2022 Tweet Part 2 - Twitter
41. ↑ James Gun January 29,2022 Tweet - Twitter
42. ↑ James Gunn Jan 29, 2022 Tweet Part 2 - Twitter
43. ↑ James Gunn Jan. 30, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
44. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 5, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
45. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 5, 2022 Tweet Part 2 - Twitter
46. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 5, 2022 Tweet Part 3 - Twitter
47. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 5, 2022 Tweet Part 4 - Twitter
48. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 7, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
49. ↑ James Gunn IG Feb. 8, 2022 Post - Instagram
50. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 10, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
51. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 12, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
52. ↑ James Gunn Feb. 12, 2022 Tweet Part Two - Twitter
53. ↑ Nhut Le Feb. 12, 2022 Tweet - Twitter
54. ↑ Nhut Le Feb. 12, 2022 Tweet Part 2 - Twitter