The vibes at DC Studios are immaculate at the moment. Superman dominated the competition at the box office and isn’t slowing down as it begins its transition to digital platforms. All the credit goes to James Gunn and his creative team, who are taking a unique approach to building a superhero franchise. While Superman is the main attraction, other projects in the pipeline ensure that the DC Universe has something for everyone. Clayface will be an R-rated body horror film, while Lanterns is going down the thriller route, sending John Stewart and Hal Jordan on a mission to solve a murder.
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The most unique project of the bunch, though, is easily Peacemaker, the HBO Max show about an anti-hero who just can’t do anything right. Critics and fans alike are singing the show’s praises, being elated that it isn’t afraid to give its characters emotional depth. It’s hard to believe that Peacemaker has dealt with not one but two major behind-the-scenes fiacos that threatened to derail everything.
Peacemaker Had to Pull a Major Audible for Season 1
Gunn knew that, out of all his The Suicide Squad characters, the one he wanted to dive deeper into was Christopher Smith. The result was a solo show that would push Peacemaker to work with A.R.G.U.S. again and stop a group of rogue aliens from taking over the Earth. However, Peacemaker couldn’t do it alone; he would need at least one other dangerous character in his corner. Vigilante beat out the competition, and Chris Conrad was cast to star alongside John Cena. Once cameras started rolling, though, Conrad and Gunn couldn’t get on the same page. Despite already filming five episodes of the show, Vigilante was going to get recast.
Freddie Stroma was selected to replace Conrad, but it was hard to tell because the actor fit in so seamlessly. Vigilante even had a couple of the standout moments of Peacemaker Season 1, teaching White Dragon and his racist pals a lesson in prison and nearly sacrificing his life to save his best friend. Gunn and Co. weathered the storm and released a quality season of television. Unfortunately, another storm was brewing that, while a little bit smaller, still had the potential to make a significant impact.
The Second Season of Peacemaker Had to Pull Off Another Recasting
Heading into Season 2, it didn’t seem like there was much that could stop Peacemaker. The show’s transition to the DCU opened the door to numerous possibilities. Gunn doesn’t want to throw the whole kitchen sink at the 11th Street Kids, though, so he is keeping things low-key by focusing on the beef between Rick Flag Sr. and Peacemaker. With Flag now being the head of A.R.G.U.S., he can use the assets at his disposal to capture his target, including a strange man with a thing for killing eagles. Red St. Wild appears for the first time in Season 2, Episode 3, and sets his sights on Peacemaker’s pet Eagly. But his appearance is double-take worthy because frequent Gunn collaborator Michael Rooker plays him.
Rooker, of course, played Yondu in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and he also made an appearance in the DC Extended Universe as Savant. The actor’s past with Task Force X made him a strange choice for St. Wild, but Gunn didn’t have any other options. During an episode of the Peacemaker companion podcast, Gunn revealed that another actor was set to play St. Wild and that things didn’t work out. Fortunately, the bird hunter didn’t have as big a role as Vigilante did in Season 1, making the switch much easier.
Peacemaker is streaming on HBO Max.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
