Director James Gunn is quickly becoming a staple in the world of comic book movies and TV shows. He’s already brought the Guardians of the Galaxy into prominence with two movies grossing a combined $1.6 billion at the global box office, and he’s just getting started.
This year, Gunn will bring his first DC project to life with the highly anticipated The Suicide Squad coming in August 2021. Already confirmed to follow this is a spin-off featuring John Cena’s character from the movie, who will star in the HBO Max series Peacemaker premiering sometime in 2022.
Gunn recently expanded on some of his inspiration for this series as well as where things might lead him after his next blockbuster movie...
JAMES GUNN MAY BE IN FOR A CHANGE
In a recent chat with Den of Geeks , Peacemaker director/writer James Gunn revealed some of his inspiration for bringing the DCEU show to life.
Specifically, Gunn looked back to "the shitty 1970s Captain America TV shows" that he watched as a kid. Additionally, he mentioned that his DCEU solo show "exemplifies a lot of things about society that are going on politically" and what the world thinks about America as a whole:
“I think that the actual inspiration for Peacemaker was the shitty 1970s Captain America TV shows that I loved when I was a child. And I think Peacemaker exemplifies a lot of things about society that are going on politically, and what people’s beliefs are about America and the world. So being able to tell those stories that are slightly more socially conscious in their essence, but also outlandish, he lends itself to that.”
After his experience making Peacemaker , Gunn even potentially sees himself "just making TV shows" after he's finished with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for Marvel Studios:
“I love doing Peacemaker. I could see just making TV shows after Guardians 3. It’s a possibility.”
A CHANGE OF PACE FOR JAMES GUNN?
Should Gunn truly follow through on this theory of transitioning only to TV shows, it could make for quite the unexpected turn in his career.
While Gunn has made a name for himself over the last decade directing major blockbusters, mostly superhero films, he certainly would be a good fit for any kind of TV program looking for a qualified industry professional. It's unclear what's bringing this decision about, but if this is the end of his filmmaking run, it was undoubtedly one that earned a great deal of success.
In terms of his comments on Peacemaker , it's clear that he's looking to make some kind of statement on the current status of the real world through this fictional story. While no plot details are known yet, this series will undoubtedly be somewhat of an eye-opener as John Cena's anti-hero takes center stage for the first time in live-action.
After Gunn's upcoming run with DC, he will conclude his Marvel Studios trilogy by writing and directing Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 . This film won't release in theaters for another few years, but after that trilogy is complete, the eyes of the movie world will be all over Gunn when he decides on his next move.
The Suicide Squad will release in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6, 2021, with Peacemaker coming to HBO Max in 2022. Gunn will also direct the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special coming to Disney+ in 2022.
