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Tag: Peacemaker

  • REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3

    REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3

    Peacemaker’s comedic tone and its take-nothing-serious attitude are immediately in full force at the beginning of its premiere episode, and the series’ amazing opening credits promise that that will underlie the entire show. With that, it is successful, and it is sure to please a wide-ranging audience with those elements alone. Still, the first three episodes of Peacemaker left some to be desired with a sometimes-dragging pace. The series mostly makes up for it with its characters and the excitement and pace pick up as the series progresses. 

    Where Peacemaker excels most is its desire and fearlessness to allow itself to be the joke rather than just making jokes. In The Suicide Squad, that is essentially what the character of Peacemaker brings to the table, though with a bit more grit than the series is so far generating. Peacemaker is driven by general incompetence, and the series feels somewhat like it exists in some bootleg underbelly of a superhero universe. A universe where generally ordinary but demented people dress up in colorful costumes and casually assimilate into society. From what Peacemaker shows, there is nothing flashy or elegant about the lives of these superheroes—the titular hero lives in a cluttered mobile home—and it adds to the feeling that the series takes place in a reality closer to our own. 

    The one thing that Peacemaker nailed before it even began was John Cena’s casting. It’s hard to put a finger on it, but there’s something about him and his performance that is Peacemaker and feels effortlessly so. Cena allows himself to inhabit a character that is the butt of the joke but also portrays genuine bravado yet cluelessness at the same time. Peacemaker does not spend time trying to convince anyone that the titular character is some worthy hero, and the series even attacks the character for being racist within the first few minutes. The character also encapsulates the series’ intended tone, so even if other elements aren’t matching it, Cena’s Peacemaker rightfully anchors it all to keep it from losing its heart.

    While there is some controversy over the direction the series decided to take Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante, the character is possibly the best part of Peacemaker so far. While his scenes were sparing over the first couple of episodes, his character is being consistently built into the foundation of the series. His flamboyant, upbeat personality that overlaps with a clearly deranged and murderous individual is a Peacemaker-level character at its finest. Cena’s Peacemaker is otherwise surrounded by a bit more serious and grounded characters, so Vigilante’s personality is a strong addition that compliments Peacemaker’s in a way that others cannot. 

    Still, the supporting cast feels integral to the series to the same degree that Peacemaker does. Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt is often the most serious character of the series but can come across as one-note. Danielle Brooks’ Leota Adebayo is a welcome addition to Peacemaker’s Task Force X that underscores the premise that the team often is not exactly inspiring or competent. Steve Agee’s John Economos mostly seems there to exchange insults with others, and Chukwudi Iwuji is undoubtedly the most formidable and intriguing member but has yet to reveal much about himself. The reluctant team aspect is reminiscent of The Suicide Squad in some senses, but the group’s dynamic has room to evolve and improve. The team plays as (mostly) the level-headed backbone of the Project Butterfly plot, in stark contrast to Peacemaker who ironically is often the most incompetent around. The team, though, is not immune from the series’ desire to make fun of itself and not take things so seriously. As serious as they can be, they also suffer from silly mishaps and poor decision-making skills. Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith or White Dragon is featured prominently in the first two episodes, and it is made clear that the white supremacist villain will have a substantial role to play other than being the source of Peacemaker’s daddy issues. 

    However, the series is surprisingly slower than expected. The first episode in particular felt rather mundane and drawn out, serving as a basic primer without much-added excitement. After that, the series picks up with Episode 3 easily being the best and well-paced of the three. Episode 3 is also the first episode where the overarching “Project Butterfly” really comes into play, though the series is still rolling out the details. The effect is a show that is currently more of a mystery than an action-thriller, but there’s every reason to assume that that will shift. For now, though, Peacemaker falls significantly flatter than maybe it intends to. The humor still carries and drives the series, so it is not left without its fun and heart, even in its blander moments.

    All in all, Peacemaker is full of plenty of promise. The first three episodes seem to have set up most of the major players and elements of the series, even though most of Project Butterfly remains under wraps. Hopefully, the show can utilize its strong cast and collection of characters to propel the series to greater heights as the story picks up the pace and the action—hopefully—follows suit. 

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3 Primer

    ‘Peacemaker’ Episodes 1-3 Primer

    The chrome-domed beacon of freedom will be making his return tomorrow when the first 3 episodes of Peacemaker debut tomorrow, exclusively on HBO Max. It’s been a few months since we last saw the character, and since then we’ve had plenty of comic book-based content released, so minds may be a bit cloudy on just how we got here, and some may even be wondering just how is Christopher Smith alive? I mean he looked quite dead last time we saw him, well we’ve got a bit of a refresher for you to be ready to jump right in tomorrow.

    We first met Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad, assigned to Task Force X for Project Starfish which found him in Corto Maltese. Smith was assigned to Squad B, the “real team” as Squad A had been sent into the other side of the beach in order to provide a distraction. Peacemaker instantly began butting heads with everyone on the team, determined only to finish the mission and establish peace on the small island nation. It would later be revealed that Smith had been sent with an alternate objective assigned to him by Amanda Waller: to destroy the truth behind Project Starfish at any cost necessary. That lead to multiple altercations, including one that resulted in Peacemaker killing Rick Flag, and one in which Bloodsport took out Smith and left him for dead.

    But Peacemaker, of course, is not dead. In the post-credits of The Suicide Squad, he is pulled from the rubble of Jotunheim and barely hanging onto life. After surviving the mission, Smith is met by John Economos and Emilia Harcourt, who defied Waller’s orders and helped to extract Task Force X from Corto Maltese. Both characters will return for Peacemaker.

    The series will also introduce multiple new character to Christopher Smith’s team like Clemson Murn, Leota Adebayo, and Vigilante. This new team has been tasked with hunting down targets labeled as “Butterflies” that pose a risk to national security. The team’s first targets are US Senator Royland Goff and his family, who are under the protection of Judomaster, another classic Charlton Comics character introduced in the series.

    The series will also see Peacemaker facing his past, reuniting with his father, Auggie Smith, a southern racist who had a very intense method of parenting with Christopher. Hopefully the series is able to give us a glimpse into just what caused Peacemaker to pick up his quest for peace.

    The first three episodes of Peacemaker will stream tomorrow on HBO Max.

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Shot Five Episodes Before Recasting Role of Vigilante

    ‘Peacemaker’ Shot Five Episodes Before Recasting Role of Vigilante

    Peacemaker is set to release its first three episodes this Thursday on HBO Max, with the series featuring the return of Christopher Smith, better known as the titular anti-hero Peacemaker. Back when the series was still in development it was announced that actor Chris Conrad was set to play the Adrian Chase, aka the Vigilante, a punisher-like Anti-hero who’d sworn revenge on those who break the law following the murder of his wife and children. However, after production had begun on the series it was reported that Conrad had left the project over “creative differences” and Freddie Stroma had been set as the recast for the role.

    To promote the HBO Max series, writer-director James Gunn recently sat down with the folks at Screen Rant to talk about the new series and revealed that Stroma came into the series quite late, having already filmed five and a half episodes with Conrad as Vigilante. 

    “He came in late. We had already shot five-and-a-half episodes with another actor, who’s an incredible guy, but we were on different pages about certain things and I don’t think he wanted to continue on the series in the long run. And so we brought Freddie in five-and-a-half episodes in, and I reshot all of his scenes.”

    James Gunn

    Gunn went on to gush about just how much he loved Stroma in the role and how well he worked with John Cena as Peacemaker.

    “Freddie is just amazing, and the chemistry between him and John is fantastic. Freddie is so good at… he’s such a sociopath, he’s such a psychopath and yet sweet at the same time. There’s an innocence to him despite the fact that he does these horrible things and is completely lacking in empathy and feelings in a way that Peacemaker is not.”

    James Gunn

    While it is odd for an actor to depart a series that’s nearly complete, it does happen. Creative differences could push many productions into hiatus, thankfully, though, Gunn and company were quickly able to recast the role. Still, it’s a shame to know things didn’t work out for Conrad, although fans will get to see what Stroma brings to the role when Peacemaker debuts on Thursday.

    SOURCE: Twitter

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Pop Up Offers a Closer Look at More Helmets

    ‘Peacemaker’ Pop Up Offers a Closer Look at More Helmets

    Peacemaker is almost upon us just a few months after his first live-action appearance in The Suicide Squad. He is quite the oddball, on a quest for peace that includes killing anyone and anything that gets in his way, sporting a colorful outfit and a chrome dome that helps him stick out like a sore thumb even more than he did before. His helmet is his most iconic feature, and it seems the Peacemaker series is going to run wild with infinite possibilities as to what these helmets could be.

    The past few trailers for Peacemaker have given us a look at a few new helmets in the series. We get a glimpse at Christopher Smith’s base of operations that includes a display case full of unique helmets, which in the comics have different functions. A new pop-up event for the HBO Max series features a display case with a few new helmets that we have yet to see before and gives us names for said helmets.

    One of the first helmets is an “Underwater World” that most likely gives him the ability to breathe and see underwater. The next is reminiscent of his early helmets, featuring an obscenely and comically large fin that’s dubbed the “Screwdriver.” His final helmet is called the “Itchy Dan” and is a basic Peacemaker but instead features a forehead of spikes that could prove quite useful in a headbutting match. It’ll be interesting to see if he wears these helmets or if they are simply a closer look at what else his display case includes.

    Source: Twitter

  • ‘Peacemaker’s’ Danielle Brooks Talks James Gunn’s Support of Her Casting: “You Already Fit”

    ‘Peacemaker’s’ Danielle Brooks Talks James Gunn’s Support of Her Casting: “You Already Fit”

    James Gunn‘s much-anticipated Peacemaker series makes its HBO Max debut in less than a week. The series is full of characters that look like they have jumped straight out of a comic book, including John Cena‘s Peacemaker and Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante. The series co-lead, Danielle Brooks, however, recently opened up to Variety some of the anxiety she experienced as someone who didn’t herself fitting into the superhero or comic book world the series takes place in.

    The Orange Is The New Black star revealed that Gunn wrote the part of Leota Adebayo with Brooks in mind. When it came to the casting process, Brooks stated:

    It’s [] this kind of nerve-racking experience, because you really want to fit in their world. When you audition and you get the part, you know that you were the right choice, but when you didn’t audition, you’re like, “I hope they don’t feel like they made a terrible mistake.”

    Danielle Brooks

    Obviously, Gunn and Peacemaker did not make a terrible mistake. When Brooks expressed her concerns to Gunn, the writer and creator made it clear to her that she fit in Peacemaker‘s world:

    So we ended up having a meeting, and we just hit it off. I explained to him [that] I’ve never seen anyone like myself in this world. It was really exciting for James to say, “I like you the way you are. I don’t want you to get all this training and try to lose 100 pounds” or all this stuff. He didn’t try to make me fit into his world. He said, “You already fit.” I really appreciated that.

    Danielle Brooks

    It is always great to see that level of support between members on any project, and that will almost certainly be reflected in the series’ final project. Peacemaker’s confidence to bring in characters that challenge the traditional view of what a “superhero” project character can be undoubtedly seems like it will payoff for the series. Still, Brooks also noted the importance of her character to comic books and their stories in other mediums:

    I started doing research before getting this part of, like, if I were to ever be asked which [comic book] characters I could play, who do I actually look like? There are a few that look like me, actually, but when they’re reflected on TV or film, they change them completely. Their look does not reflect what you see in the comics. I’ve always tried to manifest doing an action project, because I do feel like a big part of my driving force in this industry is changing the narrative of what leading ladies look like and what plus-size women are capable of doing. Part of that was getting out of my own way. When I had my daughter, I ended up gaining 60 pounds, so I didn’t feel confident. Before, I was doing Spartan races. Like I was out here over 200 pounds, doing Spartan races, and now I’ve gained 60 pounds on top of that, and I just felt like, “Can I do this [show]?” But I knew in the back of my head I could because I had the support of James Gunn, and not someone saying that you need to change any parts of yourself.

    Danielle Brooks

    You can see Brooks bring Leota Adebayo to the screen when the first three episodes of Peacemaker drop on HBO Max on Jan. 13.

    Source: Variety

  • Who Is Judomaster, The New Peacemaker Sidekick?

    Who Is Judomaster, The New Peacemaker Sidekick?

    With Peacemaker just under a week away, stills and promotional materials are coming out featuring some of the characters. One of those characters is Judomaster. Given James Gunn’s affinity for lesser-known comic characters, it’s no surprise that Judomaster fits right into his vision. But who is Judomaster? Don’t fret, we have you covered.

    Judomaster, played by Nhut Le

    Created in 1965, Judomaster’s real name is Hadley “Rip” Jagger. He is a World War II vet and appeared in Crisis on Infinite Earths #6. Judomaster has undergone three reboots with different people taking up the helm. While Judomaster wasn’t originally a DC Comics character, the character was bought by the company in 1965 and he made his debut in Special War Series #4 shortly after inception.

    Nhut Le stars as the aforementioned hero joining John Cena‘s Peacemaker. Appearing as Judomaster in Peacemaker is Nhut Le’s first major role as an actor. Previously, he’s appeared in Kroll Show and Raven’s Home. With the role of Judomaster, Le is poised for a breakout with James Gunn and John Cena at his side.

    As the name implies, Judomaster is a master of Judo which is the Japanese art of throwing people, or as people in the Judo circle refer to it as: “The art of hitting someone with a planet.” Readers can get a feel for judo in the below video, highlighting three-time Olympic judoka champion, Teddy Riner.

    But Judomaster isn’t as one-dimensional as his name implies. In addition to Judo, Judomaster is adept in karate and boxing, making him a very formidable person to fight. He can be seen punching, throwing and chopping his way through guerilla insurgents in the Martial Law series. So when you tune into Peacemaker on January 17th, expect some high-flying action à la Bruce Lee. Judomaster, should he live up to his name, will be a hero with no real superpower, only specialization in hand-to-hand combat.

    What to expect?

    What can fans expect from the titular hero? Well, as mentioned above, Judomaster isn’t a one-trick pony. He is a master in hand-to-hand combat. With a martial arts background, I expect to see a very Bruce Lee-esque approach to his choreography, but with a peppering of Gunn’s hint of violence: a hot-tempered fighter with a huge enthusiasm for violence. 

    The Lee influence will likely borderline on parody in this series knowing Gunn. In many martial arts, there’s the risk of injury, but Gunn will likely lean into this to keep the tone and violence levels similar to The Suicide Squad. 

    Te-Gutuma

    If you’re looking for the Judo influence, I fully expect to see the Te-Guruma implemented. The Te-Guruma, as seen in the above image, involves picking your opponent up and slamming them upside down. This throw, also popular in MMA and freestyle wrestling, is especially dangerous when improperly (or properly in Judomaster’s case) implemented. You can easily slam your opponent on their head or the back of their neck causing severe spinal damage.

    Osoto Gari

    One other throw that you can almost bet on is the Osoto Gari. The Osoto Gari involves getting close to your opponent and sweeping the legs from under them while pushing their torso down. Modified, Judomaster will likely push on the head, smashing the skull to the hard surface. The technique can also be seen in the drawing above.

    Ronda Rousey applying an armbar

    One more judo technique, which is more common in Jiu-Jitsu, I expect to see is an armbar. This stretches the arm across the hips and hyperextending the elbow which is very painful. But if not tapped or, what is likely in Judomaster’s case, continued torque, will break the arm — something that seems likely in Peacemaker.

    Don’t miss out on the violence when Peacemaker debuts on Jan. 17th. Oh, what a lovely day!

  • RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    Viola Davis just recently made her return as Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad, where she assembled yet another Task Force X for a mission into Corto Maltese. Davis is considered one of the best parts of the first Suicide Squad film, praised for her performance in bringing the character to life, and without her, there really is no squad. So, many were wondering if we might see her return sooner rather than later.

    According to leaker MyTimeToShine, Davis will reportedly return to the DCEU in Peacemaker, reprising her role as Amanda Waller, but the extent of her role is unknown. She is the one who Assigned John Economos and Emilia Harcourt to Peacemaker on an all-new top-secret mission, due to their insubordination in defying her orders to extract the Squad from Corto Maltese.

    Not much is known about the plot of Peacemaker aside from this new Task Force of presumably ARGUS agents working together to take down an alien threat known as the Butterflies. Shine also reveals that Peacemaker will presumably take on a massive worm in the series. There’s a chance it may be connected to the main threat in some way. The series could see Waller dealing with the fallout of the Suicide Squad since her team was caught on camera fighting Starro, and Bloodsport was able to get away with dirt on her.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn Offers New Look at ‘Peacemaker’s Judomaster

    James Gunn Offers New Look at ‘Peacemaker’s Judomaster

    While the holidays are a quiet period for Hollywood, we still get some teases here or there to tie us over into the new year. Luckily, DC fans won’t have to wait long until they get their first new property in 2022, as we’ll get a spinoff for The Suicide Squad focused on John Cena‘s Peacemaker. As we’re only 17 days away from its release, director James Gunn took to Twitter to offer a closer look at one of its newest additions, Judo Master.

    https://twitter.com/jamesgunn/status/1475884327279816704?s=21

    Nhut Le will take on the role in the HBO Max series, which is taking a lot of inspiration from the original Charlton Comics, which included quite a few iconic characters that would eventually become mainstays in the DC universe. Le‘s upcoming take is quite a departure from the original, especially in the costume department. Instead of his white-red costume, he has one that is fully in green that seems closer to what we saw Nathan Filion‘s TDK was wearing. It’ll be interesting to see how he brings the character to life and how he’ll interact with Peacemaker and Vigilante.

    Source: Twitter

  • James Gunn Confirms Weekly Release for ‘PEACEMAKER’

    James Gunn Confirms Weekly Release for ‘PEACEMAKER’

    The DCEU may be dead-silent following the release of last summer’s The Suicide Squad but 2022 is set to open with a loud bang as Peacemaker debuts on January 13th. In the face of that anticipated release, there has been some question regarding the series’ release format, whether it would be a weekly affair or a Netflix-style binge release. Series creator and director James Gunn confirmed on Twitter that the show would follow a weekly release after the season premiere on HBO Max.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1473335583430758403?t=OYpqEmnYBFCCuVMaRxadBg&s=19

    Just like how the Marvel Studios Disney+ shows are dominating on social media on a weekly basis, it isn’t surprising to see HBO Max opt the same for their first major DCEU series. Fans will have a lot to chew on with the hefty 3-episode premiere on January 13th, followed by more 5 weeks of action-packed hilarity starring John Cena. MCU fans will have to wait until they get some Marvel content so this will have to do.

  • RUMOR: Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt Will Appear in ‘Black Adam’

    RUMOR: Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt Will Appear in ‘Black Adam’

    Just as we thought the DC extended universe would be moving into a disconnected universe, it seems to be becoming more connected than ever before. It’s been previously reported that Gal Gadot would be reprising her role as Wonder Woman in Shazam: Fury of The Gods and now it seems a rather recent addition to the DCEU will be returning much sooner than expected.

    It is being reported that Jennifer Holland will be reprising her role as Emilia Harcourt in Black Adam. Holland recently made her DCEU debut in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad in which she worked with Amanda Waller on Task Force X. The character will return again and in just a few weeks with Peacemaker, following the post-credit scene at the tail end of The Suicide Squad in which as a punishment, Waller stuck both her and John Economos with him on an all-new top-secret mission.

    Details on her role are a bit scarce but it said that she will play a minor role in the film towards the end, and will reportedly recruit a character for an unknown team of some kind. What happens in Peacemaker with the character will be what sends her on a new path and why she ends up in Black Adam. More and better interconnectivity between the DCEU films is something fans have been dying for to see the universe really pulled together.

    https://twitter.com/bigscreenleaks/status/1472013248627187714?s=21

    Black Adam is currently set to be released in theaters on July 29th, 2022

    SOURCE: Cinema Reviewed, BSL