Viola Davis Breaks Silence on Amanda Waller Show Announcement

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Posted:
Viola Davis Amanda Waller DC

An Amanda Waller spin-off show, Waller, was one of the projects announced by DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, and its lead star Viola Davis expressed her excitement about the announcement. 

The DCU reboot is well underway, but the inclusion of Viola Davis' Amanda Waller led many to wonder if some actors and their DCEU counterparts are still part of the new universe. 

While this question is expected to be eventually answered in the upcoming spin-off, exciting things are underway for Task Force X's boss as the DCU embraces a new chapter. 

Viola Davis Celebrates Waller DC Show

Amanda Waller, Suicide Squad movie
DC

On Instagram, DC actress Viola Davis addressed the arrival of Waller, an HBO Max series centered on Amanda Waller. 

Davis described the announcement as "very exciting news" while also teasing that she can't wait to "tackle The Wall:"

"Very exciting news. Can’t wait to tackle 'The Wall'. Let’s go [James Gunn], [Peter Safran], @hbomax #Waller"

Alongside her social media post, other notable celebrities showed their support for Davis. 

Rihanna couldn't contain her excitement for The Suicide Squad actress, saying, "Yesssssssssssssss!!!! I love this year so much already."

Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures, The Karate Kid) left a huge "CONGRATS" to the Peacemaker guest star. 

Octavia Spencer (Ma, The Help) appeared to be truly happy for Davis, saying, "Yasssssssss!!!"

Danielle Brooks, who portrays Davis' on-screen daughter Leota Adebayo in Peacemaker, hyped up the actress by calling her "The goat!!" aka the greatest of all time.

Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness actress Lashana Lynch is extremely glad for Davis, saying, "Yessssss" alongside five fire emojis. 

During James Gunn's announcement of the DCU's Chapter 1, the top executive revealed more details about Waller, indicating that it is "a continuation" of Peacemaker while also confirming that Team Peacemaker will appear in the spin-off:

“Viola is still playing Waller and she has Team Peacemaker in this. This is really a continuation from Peacemaker.”

Gunn, via Collider, then teased what to expect in Waller, saying that he thinks it is "really fantastic and HBO loves it.”

Is Viola Davis' Amanda Waller Part of the DCU?

It is unknown if Viola Davis' Amanda Waller and the rest of Team Peacemaker are part of the wider DCU reboot, especially after Dave Bautista revealed that James Gunn would "completely reboot" the DC universe. 

It's possible that Gunn intentionally didn't address Waller's canonicity in DCU's Chapter 1 to keep fans guessing. Still, DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran did describe Waller and Creature Commandos as "aperitif" of the DCU, hinting that they are all under the same umbrella. 

Moreover, given that Team Peacemaker is part of the Amanda Waller spin-off, this would also mean that John Cena's Christopher Smith, Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt, Steve Agee's John Economos, and the rest of the show's mainstays will be reintegrated to the new DCU. 

Doing this presents an exciting opportunity for other DCEU stars to jump ship to Gunn and Safran's DCU reboot. 

Whether or not Waller is part of the DCU, Davis' exciting comments about the series should generate more hype for the upcoming spin-off. 

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- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.