Is Dave Bautista Really Heading To James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad?

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Is Dave Bautista Really Heading To James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad?

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating life in theaters, full of highs and lows. But Warner Bros. seems to have hit some momentum, as it's currently surfing the massive success of James Wan's Aquaman. The first screenings of Shazam! have also arrived, and the early buzz is overwhelmingly positive for the upcoming blockbuster. There's also a ton of exciting projects coming down the pipeline, including James Gunn's DC debut The Suicide Squad.

After being fired from the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise over offensive tweets from a decade ago, the writer/director pivoted over to the competitor. He eventually signed on to bring a Suicide Squad sequel to life, and is making liberal changes to the cast and titular group of villains. Guardians actor Dave Bautista has expressed interest in joining the DC project, and a new report indicates that Gunn maybe looking at him to play DC hero Peacemaker.

While not quite as iconic as Batman or Deadshot, Peacemaker has had a long history on the page. And if James Gunn has a starring role for Dave Bautista in The Suicide Squad, it seems only a matter of time before he official signs on to the developing ensemble project. Of course, Bautista is also contracted with Marvel Studios, so it's unclear how the legality of it all would work. But with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on indefinite hold, the wrestler turned actor should have the availability in his schedule.

Peacemaker is actually more of a hero than a villain, and would presumably be doing some chaperoning of his more insidious teammates. In fact, Peacemaker (real name Christopher Smith) is actually a pacifist, but eventually gears up and becomes a superhero to make peace happen on his own terms. He's equipped with high-tech weaponry like body armor, a jetpack, and awesome helmet. On top of that, he's in peak physical shape (no stretch for Dave Bautista), and is an expert hand to hand fighter.

News of Dave Bautista's possible role in The Suicide Squad comes to us from Collider. The publication is apparently privy to insider information, and also had a list of the characters James Gunn is reportedly focusing on during his soft reboot of the franchise. Other names included are Flash villain King Shark and Gotham City rogues Polka-Dot Man and Ratcatcher. Its a group of arguably less iconic characters, which may allow Gunn to make them household names, the way he did with the Guardians.

Of course, none of this information has been confirmed by Warner Bros., so fans will have to wait to find out if Dave Bautista and/or Peacemaker will actually make it into The Suicide Squad. Luckily, development seems to be moving forward.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.