The Suicide Squad is set to hit theaters within a few weeks. The upcoming movie brings back some of the fan-favorite characters in the 2016 film and also introduces new faces onboard – such as John Cena’s Peacemaker. However, it’s uncertain whether or not he’s a villain in the movie and spin-off series.
James Gunn's highly-anticipated film debuts Peacemaker in the live-action world, with Cena playing the Christopher Smith iteration. In addition to the upcoming movie, the actor will continue portraying the character in the HBO Max series.
Previously, Gun responded to the question about Peacemaker’s role in The Suicide Squad and the already-planned spin-off series. The director offers clarification on whether Cena’s character will serve as a hero or a villain in both narratives.
The spin-off centers around Peacemaker, which will explore his origin story. Gunn has also been tapped to direct and write several episodes of the series. But then, some are still confused on what would be his exact role – will he be a friend or a foe?
Ahead of the official release of The Suicide Squad and the spin-off wrapping up production, Gunn answered a fan question on Twitter about Peacemaker’s nature – whether he’s a hero or villain. He responded: “Most of us aren’t really that simple to only be one or the other. #Peacemaker”.
The 2016 film saw who among the team members are villains and who are not. However, the latest movie is doing its best to keep each character’s nature a mystery. For Peacemaker, it’s a bit tricky to identify how his presence would impact the story.
While Gunn is tight-lipped about Peacemaker, Cena teased that his character is a “f*cked up superhero”. Some members of the team may have some sort of redemption to the society, while others may not. For now, fans have to wait and see to find out the actor’s exact role in both movie and spin-off series.
Peacemaker made his comic debut back in 1966, created by Patt Boyette and Joe Gill. The character was first created for Charlton Comics before being eventually acquired by DC Comics. He is a pacifist, who’s described as someone committed to achieving peace by using force as a superhero with special non-lethal weapons.
The Suicide Squad is coming on July 30, 2021, in the United Kingdom. The movie will then be released on August 6 in the United States, which will also be available to stream on HBO Max for one month starting the same date.