Before working on the Suicide Squad, James Gunn was about to do a major overhaul of the cast of the movie. After replacing Will Smith with Idris Elba as Bloodsport, according to the sources of collider.com, Gunn favored Dave Bautista as Peacemaker in the project.
However, it’s now evident that while Gunn wanted Bautista for Peacemaker, the final discussion on the role could never happen. Ultimately, John Cena was cast in the project and has carried on as Peacemaker in the recent television series.
James Gunn and Dave Bautista’s Friendship Goes a Long Way
The reason behind this affinity towards Dave Bautista from James Gunn could be because of the kind of relationship he had with the wrestler-turned-actor over the years.
Their collaboration in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, including Vol. 1 and Vol. 2, along with other Marvel appearances, helped shape the beloved character of Drax. Bautista’s timing and emotional depth, along with Gunn’s writing and direction, made Drax a memorable character in the MCU.
When Disney fired James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (via The Guardian) in 2018 due to contentious posts on his X account, Dave Bautista defended and publicly supported James Gunn, even threatening to leave the franchise if his script was not used. It was possibly the most visible example of their friendship. This devotion showed how close they were as friends outside of their work relationship.
Following Gunn’s departure, Bautista had openly expressed his desire to follow him to the DC universe. More particularly, Bautista was willing to play the character of Bane, one of the antagonists in the Batman movie.
In an interview with Collider, Bautista explained that he pitched himself as Bane to Warner Bros. The former WWE superstar further shared:
There are certain characters I’ve latched on to over the past 10, 20 years, and Bane was one of them. No discredit to Tom Hardy’s version of Bane, I love that performance, I loved that film. I’d just love a crack at it.
However, James Gunn is currently focused on creating a DC universe from scratch, which is why he is more willing to cast younger actors who can be associated with the character for the foreseeable future.
That is the reason why Bautista was considered too old for the character. Still, the relationship between him and Gunn did not deteriorate. Bautista had later on stated during an interaction with Business Insider that he fully understands Gunn’s intentions and is okay with not playing Bane in the DC universe.
A table illustrating the details about Peacemaker is as follows
| Category | Details |
| Title | Peacemaker |
| Genre | Action, Drama, Superhero |
| Director | James Gunn |
| Based On | DC Comics character Peacemaker |
| Main Star | John Cena as Peacemaker |
| Supporting Cast | Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick |
| Original Network | HBO Max (US) |
| Language | English |
| Seasons | 2 |
| Episodes | 16 |
| Runtime per Episode | 38-49 minutes |
| Premiere Date | January 13, 2022 |
| Production Companies | The Safran Company, Troll Court Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television |
| Filming Locations | Vancouver, Canada; Atlanta, Georgia |
In any case, a possible association with James Gunn remains a major talking point among fans and critics alike. Suppose Bautista and James Gunn work together once again. In that case, it will be yet another wrestler-turned-actor working in the DC universe under the prolific director after John Cena, whose work as Peacemaker has been widely appreciated over the years.
However, Cena has publicly appreciated the transition of Dave Bautista on the big screen. The 17-time World Champion has made it evident with his remarks that when it comes to the world of cinema, Bautista has set the standards for the WWE superstars to adhere to.
John Cena Praises Dave Bautista Over His Transition as an Actor
The world of professional wrestling has often debated over who has had a better Hollywood career. John Cena, Dave Bautista, or The Rock. The answer to that question was given by Cena himself, who praised Bautista for the kind of transition he has undergone as an actor.
Cena was asked to name the greatest wrestler-turned-actor when he appeared on Complex’s GOAT Talk to promote his new movie, Heads of State. He acknowledged the pioneers but then made his decision apparent, complimenting his erstwhile opponent Dave Bautista’s dramatic depth. Highlighting his depth, Cena shared:
I’m gonna give respect where respect is earned. Dave Bautista, the dude has range and is like, now has like, transformed his whole body. So he’s the stuff he’s about to do. Look out for Dave Bautista. The stuff he’s already done is incredible. As far as, like, wrestler turned actor with, like, the range, you know me, I’m just d–k James, that’s it. Dave’s got range.
However, the host of the show, Idris Elba, disagreed with John Cena’s opinion and stated that, according to him, Cena is the greatest wrestler-turned-actor of all time. The reason was that, as per Elba, Cena puts in the kind of hard work required for an actor and lives the lifestyle of an actor.
With these remarks, it’s now clear that Cena thinks highly of Bautista when it comes to the world of big screen, even though he was close to replacing Cena as Peacemaker in Suicide Squad.
Watch the full interview here:
Do you think Dave Bautista would’ve been the right choice for Peacemaker as compared to John Cena? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Peacemaker Season 2 is currently streaming on HBO Max in the US.
