Gunn says Bautista was his original Peacemaker choice before Cena

James Gunn told Howard Stern this week that Dave Bautista was his original choice to play Peacemaker, the violent antihero now closely associated with John Cena, but Bautista turned the part down and Cena ultimately stepped in. Gunn made the revelation during the interview as the second season of Peacemaker continues to air on HBO Max, with new episodes released weekly.

Gunn said he wrote the role with Bautista in mind, noting that he is a friend and that Bautista had become known to audiences as Drax in Gunns Guardians of the Galaxy films. We offered him the role, Gunn said. He was offered two movies, and we werent paying him a lot, so he had to go where the money was. Bautista pursued other projects, opening the door for Cena, who first played Peacemaker in Gunns 2021 film The Suicide Squad and later headlined the 2022 television spin off.

Explaining how Cena came to be cast, Gunn said he had been a fan of the actor since the 2015 comedy Trainwreck. I met with him, we talked, we became instant, instant friends, he said. I didnt audition him. I just put him in it. Gunn added that while Cena initially seemed like a simple, comic fit, a moment on the Suicide Squad set revealed...