Jame Gunn revealed that Dave Bautista was initially considered for a key DCU role but ultimately couldn’t take it on for one reason. Speaking about Peacemaker on The Suicide Squad: Is It Canon? The Official Podcast, Gunn revealed that he originally wrote the part for the Guardians of the Galaxy actor.
Peacemaker made his debut in The Suicide Squad, with John Cena playing the character. Despite the acclaim the role received, Gunn revealed that he initially had Bautista in mind while writing it. He also explained why the Army of the Dead actor ultimately had to turn it down.
He revealed, “So originally I wrote the role of Peacemaker for Dave Bautista. Dave at the same time was offered to do Army of the Dead, as well as that little spy girl movie, and he was offered both of those movies. He would have had to say no to both of those movies and say yes to us. I think we could only afford to pay him, you know, 1/3 of what he was going to get paid.”
Dave Bautista and James Gunn have previously worked together before
Dave Bautista has repeatedly credited James Gunn for helping launch his Hollywood career. The actor achieved mainstream success playing Drax the Destroyer in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn went on to direct Bautista in all three films in the trilogy, as well as The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.
When Disney fired Gunn after his old controversial tweets resurfaced, Bautista, like the rest of the Guardians cast, publicly stood by the director and signed a letter urging the studio to reconsider its decision.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Bautista revealed that his representatives were concerned about the potential impact of supporting Gunn on his career. However, he said, “I wasn’t so concerned about my career at that point. I figured if my career was over, I could always fall back on professional wrestling.”
As of now, Bautista is yet to take on a role in the DCU.
Originally reported on SuperHeroHype.