In HBO Max’s upcoming Peacemaker follow up to James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, a deranged sociopath who sees himself as a saviour is tasked by the American government to become the sort of superhero people are meant to look up to. But if people knew what kind of person John Cena’s Peacemaker actually was, they’d want absolutely nothing to do with him, mainly because of his blood thirst, but also because he’s just kind of a dweeb.
Just weeks out from Peacemaker’s premiere on HBO Max, the studio’s just dropped the first proper clip from the show that reintroduces Peacemaker into the picture, as well as establishes what sort of dynamic he’s going to have with his various allies. In the new clip, Peacemaker pulls up to a diner ready for… action (in theory) in his full vigilante costume even though he’s only meant to be meeting up with the people he’s working with for a casual chat. To Peacemaker, it’s perfectly normal for people to drive around with bald eagles chilling in their back seats. But to Belle Reve warden John Economos (Steve Agee), NSA agent Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), and Task Force X members Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) and Clemon Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji), the bird alone is a clear sign that Peacemaker’s a lunatic, and that being his colleague is going to be maddening.
Though you get a slight taste of Peacemaker’s sense of humour from the clip, it’s light in the way of the series’ plot or any glimpses of action, both of which are going to factor into how successfully the show — one of the first big episodic spinoffs from the DCEU — lands with audiences. Given Gunn’s involvement in Peacemaker and how effectively the character worked in The Suicide Squad, though, there’s a solid chance that this could be one of the more interesting new projects that kicks off the new year when Peacemaker hits HBO Max in January.