peacemaker, from HBO Max, is DC’s latest attempt to expand its television and film adaptations. With the movie universe expanding by uneven stretches, there are many questions about the future of the franchise. But on television and now streaming, the result seems to have found an open door to new options. and makes it through a nasty, racist and violent antihero who will seek redemption.
It is a risky strategy to include the group of characters from the suicide squad. The irregular duology has been a headache for Warner and DC since its premiere. And for more than one reason. The first film, directed by David Ayer and released in 2016, was a critical disaster and a box office success. The second, this time under the credits of James Gunn, fascinated the specialized press but went unnoticed at the box office. In the end, the formula for the group of villains who end up becoming the most unexpected heroes they keep failing for no clear reason.
With James Gunn’s version, the unknown spans several different places in DC’s proposal. On the one hand, the film is a smart, brilliant and provocative exercise in style with a solid script, but it failed to captivate die-hard fans. In fact, the entire proposal was received with indifference and shortly after its premiere it even had to face the ghost of the Yesterday version. The hashtag #ReleaseTheAyerCut became a worldwide trend, claiming David Ayer’s alleged version of the 2016 film.
So it was surprising when DC and Warner made the decision to create a spin-off based on the suicide squad of Gunn. One that also rescues one of the most controversial characters in the film version. Christopher Smith/Peacemaker played by John Cena is a mercenary antihero who embodies controversial ideas. So much so that there were some discussions about his appearance in the cinema. But in the end, the decision seemed to be the right one and the solo series picks up the character. It also opens a strange take on the DC television universe.
From the Arrowverse to the XForceverse
Until now, DC’s shared universe on television has been much more orderly, cohesive, and successful than the cinematic one. In fact, the arrowverse demonstrated the enormous possibilities of various DC character crossovers. There was an opportunity to transfer the experience to the cinema when Ezra Miller’s Flash had an encounter with Grant Gustin, his television version.
But peacemaker is a completely new strategic move. It is the one spin-off of a character who debuted in the cinema and who could now develop in his own field. In addition, doing it from the hand of a renowned director like James Gunn. At first, the project was a mystery. It was already part of Warner’s plans even when the suicide squad it premiered. So it seemed to suggest that no matter how successful the movie was, the series was already in the works.
In fact, the series was presented as a post-credits scene from Gunn’s film, which confirmed the rumors about the upcoming series. With its TV universe solidly established, the big question is what else Warner wanted. And the answer seems to have come with the first chapters of Peacemaker.
The series, which premiered directly on HBO Max worldwide, is a complete departure from the polished DC universe on television. The character of John Cena is an extravagant combination between the stereotype of the American redneck and an antihero to use. But beyond that, it’s also symbolic of a mocking social commentary that Gunn uses cleverly. Racist, homophobic and strangely ambiguous, the character is a metaphor for America today. And not one that rests on criticism or moral judgment, but rather an uncomfortable journey through heroism.
peacemaker is a man with violent tendencies, who uses his notorious combat skills in a personal fight against crime. But beyond his conception as a vigilante, Cena’s character is a man with a purpose. Twisted and most of the time aggressive, but still sustained on its concrete quality.
The series, with the same visual and plot rhythm as the suicide squada, it’s a strange experiment. From their already famous intro, in which the cast dances to the song Do you wanna taste it from Wig Wam, to its explicit violence. Gunn’s project is a scaled-down but ingenious version of a larger universe. But it is also a risk of considerable pulse. The script asks questions and questions about current issues from mockery and transgression. And he does it with enough skill that it has become a strange hybrid between cynicism and ethical dilemmas that amazes with its effectiveness.
And in the future, James Gunn in the lead
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Recently, James Gunn declared to Collider that Peacemaker will not be the last project that he will carry out related to the universe of the suicide squad. In fact, there are plans to carry out at least two series related to characters from the film universe. And although it is not yet clear who could be the next to arrive on the ground of the series, it is clear that Gunn’s plans are ambitious.
Also those of Warner, which until now had only dared to experiment with new languages with the brilliant Doom Patrol. But Gunn’s universe — far more outlandish, audacious and politically awkward — is an unexpected step for DC.