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Tag: john-cena

Viola Davis Back as Amanda Waller for ‘Peacemaker’ Spinoff

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’

After scheming her way through both 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad’ and last year’s ‘The Suicide Squad’, not to mention two quick cameos in ‘Peacemaker’, Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller looks to become the focus of her own TV series.

HBO Max, which saw big success with the James Gunn-created ‘Peacemaker’ is looking to continue that story; and not just with the already-commissioned second season of the show.

According to Variety, Davis is in talks to return as Waller and to be an executive producer on the new series. Gunn, who is currently in the final stages of filming ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, won’t write or direct on the show, choosing instead to focus on the future of ‘Peacemaker’ itself and other projects he’s developing.

Instead, Christal Henry, who has worked on shows including ‘Watchmen’ (also for HBO Max), ‘The First’ and ‘APB’, will be the creative head, lead writer and executive producer of the Waller series, should it make it to production. Gunn will be involved, however, as an executive producer alongside regular producing partner Peter Safran.

Waller, for those who have somehow avoided both the ‘Suicide Squad’ movies and ‘Peacemaker’, is the ambitious, conniving civil servant and director of A.R.G.U.S. who established Task Force X, AKA the Suicide Squad, wanting to assemble a team of expendable metahumans who would be used to execute covert operations against even more dangerous threats.

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’

Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ introduced John Cena’s Christopher Smith, better known as Peacemaker, a bullish, dim-bulb hero whose stated mission is peace at any cost – even if it means killing everyone in sight. ‘Peacemaker’ developed the character in much more rounded fashion, exploring his traumatic, troubled past and seeing him confront a new enemy in the shape of alien butterfly creatures intent on taking Earth for themselves.

‘Peacemaker’, though it only featured Waller briefly, introduced some big changes into the storyline for the character as – spoiler alert – the finale saw her daughter, Leota Adebayo (played by Danielle Brooks) blow the whistle Waller’s actions and her attempts to frame Peacemaker to put him back behind bars.

That would seem to effectively close down Task Force X and other opportunities for Waller, who has always worked best in the shadows. The new series would presumably feature her attempts to deal with the fallout, and to get a new scheme and/or team into play. Brooks was entertaining and human as Adebayo, so hopefully she might also crop up in the new show.

This would by no means be Davis’ first TV series. She won an Emmy for playing brilliant criminal defense professor Annalise Keating on ‘How to Get Away with Murder’ and is currently to be found playing Michelle Obama on Showtime series ‘The First Lady’, which looks at the lives of various presidents’ wives, including Betty Ford and Eleanor Roosevelt.

And Davis will also be back in theaters with ‘The Woman King’, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s historical action drama which sees Davis as Nanisca, ruler of the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful states of Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries. That movie will be out on September 16th.
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May 3, 2022
James Gunn’s ‘Peacemaker’: An Appreciation

John Cena in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker.’

It took a remarkable amount of confidence for writer/director James Gunn to announce a spin-off from ‘The Suicide Squad’ based around John Cena’s Christopher ‘Peacemaker’ Smith, the numbskull vigilante whose entire credo is peace through any means – even if those means are killing anyone or anything he deems necessary.

Peacemaker wasn’t the most popular character on the ‘Squad’ crew, but, played with relish by Cena, he certainly made an impact, and Gunn hinted at more to come when the character survived near certain death.

‘The Suicide Squad’ itself didn’t do that well at the box office, partly due to the pandemic and because of its day-and-date launch on HBO Max. And when Gunn confirmed the series was in the works, plenty of people questioned the need for a show based around the character.
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How wrong they were. As it turns out, ‘Peacemaker’ is one of the more satisfying series of the year so far, and streets ahead of even some of the recent Marvel and Lucasfilm offerings.

Picking up as Smith is released from hospital, the show sees him thrown into a new mission, this time dealing with a threat from alien bug creatures that have taken over humans for their own ends.

Peacemaker is – somewhat unwillingly – teamed up with Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee), who we met in more headquarters-bound form in ‘The Suicide Squad’. This squad is led by Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji), a special forces operative who has little time for interaction with his team. And then there’s the new recruit, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), who seems completely unprepared for the task in hand, but has a secret – she’s the daughter of ‘Squad’s Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), and a hidden agenda.

(L to R) John Cena and Danielle Brooks in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker.’

Tagging along are two of Peacemaker’s friends – pet and best pal Eagly (a fantastic CGI creation who has all the personality and humour you’d expect from a James Gunn project, even if he can’t talk) and Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), a cheery sociopath who enjoys killing people if he thinks it serves justice… Or just because.

This team, which redefines the term “rag-tag” must investigate and stop extra-terrestrials nicknamed “Butterflies” that have their own plans for humanity. Oh, and then there’s Christopher’s father, Auggie Smith (a foul-mouthed Robert Patrick), who is a racist, scheming White Supremacist who constantly belittles his son. These various sides will come into serious conflict – and not everyone will make it out alive…

‘Peacemaker’ works so well because Gunn has been given free rein to indulge his creative side, pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable on a superhero show, or indeed any TV series.

But far from simply being vulgar, bloody, and violent, the show is a potent combination of everything Gunn does so well. The humor and action are both excellent, but secondary to character growth. Every single member of the cast gets moments to shine – this is not simply Smith’s show. And everyone enjoys a complete character arc that finds them evolve and grow as the plot trundles along.

Gunn said when the show was originally revealed that he was looking to dig under Peacemaker’s helmet to find the man beneath, in a way that isn’t possible in a movie. And he certainly lived up to that claim – with Cena throwing himself into the role (literally, on occasion), Christopher Smith proves to be a far more complex person than the slaughter-happy idiot we meet in the ‘Squad’ movie.

He’s burdened by serious daddy issues thanks to Auggie’s toxic parenting, and still haunted by accidentally killing his brother (again, really his father’s fault). He starts to realize that his bullying, smug attitude is drawn from this background and begins to figure out how to be a better person.

Murn is a tough nut to crack, but Iwuji gives him layers, particularly later, and obviously left an impact on Gunn, who cast him in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.’ Brooks, best known to date for Netflix’s ‘Orange is the New Black’ shines as Adebayo, thrust into a world she’s (mostly) unprepared to handle, she figures out her place on the team and bonds with Smith over their shared parental problems.

Holland’s casting was controversial since she dates Gunn in real life, but anyone trying to cry nepotism need to take a long, hard look at themselves – freed from the confines of her ‘Squad’ duty, Holland really works as Harcourt, letting her initially chilly side melt as she interacts with her colleagues. Similarly, Agee is handed plenty to do than simply play a nervous nerd behind a computer, coming into his own heroic side with occasionally violent results.

John Cena in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker’

Stroma, meanwhile, doesn’t see his character change all that much, but that’s because Vigilante (real name: Adrian Chase) is so entertaining as a clueless goofball that to alter him might upset what makes the man work. Yet he also has a great arc that finds him drawing closer to the rest of the gang.

And then there’s Eagly, who is both a comedic gem and the beating heart that keeps Peacemaker grounded (even as he flies).

Yet the character work also extends to the supporting cast – Annie Chang’s endlessly miffed cop Sophie Song has a great line in insults, particularly for Auggie, and she’s backed up by gung-ho partner Fitzgibbon (played with a sweet nature by Lochlyn Munro). And when we finally meet the leader of the alien threat, they’re not simply a scheming, mustache-twirling villain (partly because they don’t have a mustache).

Along the way, there is so much to enjoy – hilariously rude riffs on other superheroes (Peacemaker has some seriously warped ideas on their behavior), some weird enemies (Christopher Heyerdahl as Police Captain Locke is a strange fellow even before he gets taken over by one of the alien bugs, and the performance clearly delighted his director, as he features in several extended moments) and some fun with rock and metal music. Oh, and seemingly in a dig at Marvel’s obsession with setting up other stories and characters, ‘Peacemaker’s end credit sequences only serve to add more jokes.

The path to the finale is a rollicking ride that never forgets to also have heart, and the last episode sticks the landing, with a couple of gigantic cameos that don’t feel out of place. Gunn skillfully weaves jokes and character touches into the story, and everything pays off at the end.

Though the first season ends with the threat largely vanquished and everyone in a very different place to where they started, the possibilities are endless for this series. Gunn wrote the entire first run and shared directing duties with Brad Anderson, Jody Hill, and Rosemary Rodriguez, but plans to handle it all for season 2.

If I were to guess as to what might happen? Peacemaker will continue his journey to become a better person (while still finding time to rock). Harcourt will become more of a leader. Adebayo will find more time for her wife (Keeya played by Elizabeth Faith Ludlow), and Eagly will continue to be the bright, shiny star of the series.

The entire series is now available on HBO Max. Be sure to watch the finale, as it features surprise cameos from several other popular DC Characters!

Eagly the Eagle in HBO Max’s ‘Peacemaker.’

February 17, 2022
James Gunn teases the “end” of ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’

(L to R) Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, and Dave Bautista in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’

James Gunn is a busy man of late, diving back into the Marvel Cinematic Universe to wrap up his ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ trilogy that began with 2014’s ‘Vol 1’. And if his latest statements to Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast are anything to go by, the new film really will be something of a finale for the characters.

“This is the end for us, the last time people will see this team of Guardians,” Gunn announced, which naturally has us worried for the space travelling heroes, which include Chris Pratt’s Star-Lord, Zoe Saldana’s Gamora, Dave Bautista’s Drax, Sean Gunn/Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon, Karen Gillan’s Nebula, Pom Klementieff’s Mantis and Vin Diesel’s talking tree creature Groot.

So, what can we expect from the movie? “It’s big. It’s so, so big and dark, and different from what people might be expecting it to be,” says Gunn. “I just want to be true to the characters, the story and give people the wrap-up that they deserve for the story. That’s always a little bit scary. I’m very aware that the third film in most trilogies suck.”

Few details have emerged about what the Guardians will face this time, though we do know that Elizabeth Debicki’s haughty, golden Ayesha will return from 2017’s ‘Vol 2.’ and Will Poulter is playing the powerful Adam Warlock, whose creation was teased at the end of that film and who has a long comic book history with the Guardians. Will he be a hero or a villain? (It’s too early to tell, but he’s been both on Marvel’s pages).

Plus, there’s still the fallout from ‘Avengers: Endgame’ to deal with – Gamora died in ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and the version who is currently travelling with them is from another timeline created in ‘Endgame’, which causes no end of trouble for Star-Lord, who was in love with the original. Feel free to reach for the headache pills now.

Also, the Guardians (at least some of them), cameo in Taika Waititi’s ‘Thor: Love And Thunder’, in theaters on July 8 this year, so that may have an impact.
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However the story works out, it’s not the only ‘Guardians’ project that Gunn is cooking up. In addition to shooting ‘Vol. 3’ in Atlanta and London, he’s also written and will make a Guardians holiday special, which will debut on Disney+, probably this December.

According to the writer/director, people have been excited by the special’s script so far. “I’m almost jealous of it, even though I wrote it,” Gunn told Collider earlier this month. “Because people freak out so much on how much they love the script for the holiday special that I’m almost like, ‘Well, wait. I’ve got [‘Vol. 3’] I’ve been working on for two years. You love the holiday special that I literally wrote in a very short amount of time.’”

Gunn has yet to reveal how the special might tie into the ongoing story, or what the plot might have in store, but given the quality of his work with Marvel so far, it’s one to anticipate. Especially since he teased on social media in October that it’ll bring someone else aboard: “In my incredibly subjective & admittedly often odd opinion, we’ll be introducing one of the greatest MCU characters of all time,” he said in a tweet to a question about the show.

And don’t go panicking that references to the “end” of the Guardians means they all fly into a star – Marvel has shown the ability to adapt and alter line-ups before in its cinematic universe, so their stories will continue.

Gunn, though appears ready to step away, at least for a while, and is ready to focus on the DC universe instead. He’s seen huge success with ‘Peacemaker’, the show that spins off John Cena’s numbskull fighter from last year’s ‘The Suicide Squad’.

‘Peacemaker’ has quickly become one of the biggest hits for HBO Max, with audiences appreciating Gunn and his cast’s mix of ribald humour, violence, and emotional stakes. “I think at the heart of ‘Peacemaker’ is a love story between Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) and Christopher Smith (John Cena),” Gunn says, “And it’s not a sexual love, not a romantic love, it’s a love of friendship, of two people who are very different from each other, but they have a lot in common: They have overbearing parents who are obsessed with power, and their own version of what success is.”

John Cena as Peacemaker in ‘Suicide Squad’

According to the creator, who wrote all eight episodes and directed five, talks are already under way for more of the show. “The show is doing extraordinarily well, and we’re excited, we all like doing it, we just need to cross some T’s and dot some I’s, which is basically me.”

The show stars Cena alongside Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Chukwudi Iwuji, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, and Robert Patrick.

And beyond that series, it certainly sounds like Gunn is ready to expand the ‘Squad’ universe even further on TV. He’s cagey about what shape the new show might take, but it’s on his mind. “I can’t say anything,” he says. “It is connected to this universe, and I don’t think it will be the same genre as ‘Peacemaker,’ it won’t be as much a comedy as ‘Peacemaker’, but it will be in the same universe.”

Speculation is already running rampant as to who Gunn could build a show around next, as ‘The Suicide Squad’ certainly features a lot of characters who could carry their own show, and several of them even survived to the end credits of the movie. Though it seems unlikely that bigger names such as Idris Elba or Margot Robbie would have space in their schedules for a show, you could predict that perhaps Peter Capaldi’s Thinker (though, Spoiler Alert!, that would be a prequel) or Daniel Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2 might be prime candidates.

‘Peacemaker’ debuts new episodes on Thursdays via HBO Max. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’ will be released on May 5, 2023.
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January 28, 2022
Best John Cena Movies

Premiering on HBO Max January 13th is ‘Peacemaker,’ a spinoff of James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad,’ which stars John Cena reprising his title role. We thought now would be a great time to look back at the best movies of John Cena’s career.

‘The Suicide Squad‘ (2021)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Welcome to hell a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them all of them.
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‘Bumblebee‘ (2018)

Paramount

On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary yellow VW bug.
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‘Blockers‘ (2018)

Universal Pictures

When three parents discover their daughters’ pact to lose their virginity at prom, they launch a covert one-night operation to stop the teens from sealing the deal.
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‘Trainwreck‘ (2015)

Universal Pictures

Having thought that monogamy was never possible, a commitment-phobic career woman may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy.
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‘The Wall‘ (2017)

Amazon Studios

An American sniper and his spotter engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with an Iraqi sniper.
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‘Sisters‘ (2015)

Universal Pictures

Two disconnected sisters are summoned to clean out their childhood bedrooms before their parents sell their family home.
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‘Vacation Friends‘ (2021)

20th Century Studios

When a straight-laced couple that has fun with a rowdy couple on vacation in Mexico return to the States, they discover that the crazy couple they met in Mexico followed them back home and decide to play tricks on them.
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‘F9‘ (2021)

Universal Pictures

Dominic Toretto and his crew battle the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: his forsaken brother.
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‘12 Rounds‘ (2009)

When New Orleans Police Detective Danny Fisher stops a brilliant thief from getting away with a multimillion-dollar heist, the thief’s girlfriend is accidentally killed. After escaping from prison, the criminal mastermind enacts his revenge, taunting Danny with 12 rounds of near-impossible puzzles and tasks that he must somehow complete to save the life of the woman he loves.
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‘The Marine‘ (2006)

A group of diamond thieves on the run kidnap the wife of a recently discharged marine who goes on a chase through the South Carolinian wilderness to retrieve her.
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January 13, 2022
John Cena, Yvonne Orji talk ‘Vacation Friends’

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‘Vacation Friends’ is a new comedy featuring Lil Rel Howery and Yvonne Orji as a couple on vacation that befriend another couple played by John Cena and Meredith Hagner. But when the trip comes to an end, the latter couple doesn’t want to let the fun stop. John Cena and Yvonne Orji recently talked to us about the movie.

First, John Cena talks about his character, Ron.

Moviefone: Okay. Let’s start off. I’ve had a vacation friend, but for people who haven’t, what is a vacation friend?

John Cena: A vacation friend is someone you randomly bump into, and in a short period of time, become very close with. And, all vacations come to an end, unless you’re Aerosmith. What happens then? I think that’s the question that Vacation Friends poses. We had those random connections that are close, but what happens afterwards?

MF: I think Ron is a person that many of us wish we could be. Can you describe him?

Cena: I play Ron, a character that is very comfortable in his own skin, and not afraid to show his own skin. I guess the term free spirit will be thrown around. But I really like the term, he’s comfortable with who he is. He’s not trying to impress anybody. He doesn’t revel in his accomplishments. I think he’s open to emotional connection. I think he’s vulnerable. He’s trustworthy. He’s in love. He loves love. And it was really fun to be able to play a character like that.

MF: Yeah, I mean, every day to come to set, and just be this happy person who is just happy with everything?

Cena: Well, there is some character arc in there, and there is some conflict. I think, over the story of the movie, he certainly is free-willed, but his lack of structure, it takes a really good friend to show him that maybe a little bit of that in your life might be a decent lesson. And it’s not like he’s a know-it-all. He goes through his own learning curve, and I think that’s what’s great about the story with all the four characters. They each learn something. It’s not like, one person is on niche. And I think everyone grows throughout the course of the movie.

MF: Well, he is searching, I think, right? He’s searching for a new best friend. And he thinks he’s found it in Marcus.

Cena: Yeah. Like I said, he longs for connection, and you learn about his story as you go through the movie, and he does have voids in his life, as do we all. And we all search to fill those, and he thinks he’s found a great vacation friend, best friend, in Marcus. And then, hilarity ensues.

MF: Right, because he wants this friendship to be more than a vacation friend. And the thing is, I’m not quite sure Marcus, at the onset, is the right person to target as the best friend for Ron, because Marcus is nothing like Ron.

Cena: Well, I think that the folks who are best and closest in my life, aren’t exactly like me. And I think sometimes those are the best matches. We all share the same core values, but we’re not alike. And I think that makes us tremendously special. And that’s probably the reason that we love each other so much. So, just because someone isn’t exactly like you, doesn’t exclude them from the possibility of being a great friend.

MF: Speaking of somebody just alike, Kyla is a lot like Ron. Was there a backstory? How did Ron and Kyla meet and get together? Because I feel like they’re kindred spirits.

Cena: Well, I think that’s the case. And, I think you learn a little bit about Kyla’s story through the movie. Some details are given away, that she’s been searching for love for a long time. And I think Ron is the same thing. You learn a little bit about Ron’s path, and then you learn how these two met, and that they just hit it off right away. And they’re just kind of riding the wave of where they are and who they’re with.

MF: Where did you guys shoot the tropical portion of the movie when you were actually at the resort?

Cena: It was a gorgeous resort in Puerto Rico. And we went to bar hop in Puerto Rico as well. So this was a movie about being on vacation, and it really was fun.

Next, Yvonne Orji talks about her own “vacation friend” experience.

Moviefone: A vacation friend, have you ever had one?

Yvonne Orji: I have had one, and I had been one, so yeah. I mean, good company.

MF: And did you actually not ever see that person again when the vacation was over?

Orji: No, actually, I saw them again. I saw two of them again. So, they came to comedy shows I was having at two different cities.

MF: Oh, okay. So, but not a personal meeting? You didn’t go to each other’s weddings…

Orji: No, no, no. I mean, every once in a while we’ll do a Marco Polo talk, or they’ll send me a WhatsApp message, but, you know.

MF: Okay, interesting, you did stay in contact. Because in this movie, I don’t think Emily and Marcus ever thought they’d see Ron and Kyla ever again. And I don’t think they really wanted to.

Orji: You are absolutely correct in that assessment. They were shocked when they appeared out of nowhere.

MF: Because they are very different, these two couples. Explain the differences between these two couples.

Orji: I think they might be a little bit more alike than they care to admit. But very different on the surface. Yes. Emily and Marcus are a bit more reserved and conservative, whereas Ron and Kyla, they are daredevils. They take life by the horns, and they enjoy the most basic things in life, and the most outlandish, at the same time.

MF: Okay. Tell me if I’m wrong. Because, I feel like Emily is more adventurous than Marcus. And Emily, when she sees Ron and Kyla at this resort, she is a little envious. Like, she wants to be there and with them and be like them.

Orji: Yeah, Ron is very much like Mr. Rules. He’s that guy on the vacation, that’s like, “All right. So I mapped out our day and this is what we’re doing”. And she’s kind of like, “Oh man, this now feels like work. Can we just… Can we be as carefree as this other couple”? And that’s what she sees that really gravitates to her. Wanting to be like, “Let’s give them a chance”, without knowing the full gamut of what that would entail.

MF: Well, a lot of fun ensues. What was it actually like on set, and your costars?

Orji: Oh, as fun as it looked, is as fun as it was. They were all a bunch of very talented, very funny, individuals to work with.

MF: What was Lil Rel and John like, in particular?

Orji: The chemistry was there. The comedy and the chemistry were all there. You have the big strapping like wrestler with the super bod. And then you have Marcus, who’s kind of like… Lil Rel describes himself as a confident nerd, trying to play up with one another. John Cena brought the comedy, as did Rel. It was really, really cool to see them go at it.

MF: Well, there was a lot of things going on at the resort. A lot of physical things. What would you say was the funnest thing that you shot there?

Orji: Oh, probably the most fun was the reception and the speech. And then the mayhem that breaks out, and it was just chaos. But an organized chaos, that led to comedy.

MF: Would you say that… For me, I took away from the movie that I wished I could be like Ron’s character. Because, I mean, he just seems to really know who he is. He’s really happy in being who he is. He doesn’t care what anybody else thinks. I mean, I know his one little thing is… I think in himself, he’s looking for a friend. That’s why he latches onto Marcus as another best friend. But other than that, he’s just this really well-rounded person. And I mean… And even if he really wasn’t, he’s just happy within himself.

Orji: Yeah. He’s very charming, he’s charm… Even when he meets Emily’s dad, and it’s like they have this bond that everyone was like, “How was this guy in the… huh?” And it’s just the thing that endears him to so many people, because he’s able to cover for Marcus when Emily’s dad is… Harold is kind of like, “I don’t like you and you ruined things”, and he’s kind of like, “Marcus isn’t so bad”. You know? And so it’s just… He keeps endearing himself to Emily and Marcus. So yeah, Ron is a special character.

MF: Well, I feel like most people are like Marcus. I feel like I would be more like Marcus than Ron. So, what is the takeaway, do you think, for people from the movie?

Orji: I think it’s all about not putting anyone in any specific box. That people are all the time evolving and transitioning, and becoming versions of themselves that you may never know upon first meeting them. And I think all of the characters kind of go through kind of a heart check by the end of the movie, which is great.
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August 29, 2021
Learn Who’s Who in ‘The Suicide Squad’

David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Idris Elba, and Daniela Melchior in ‘The Suicide Squad’

James Gunn (of Guardians of the Galaxy fame) brings his high-stakes DC epic, ‘The Suicide Squad,’ to the big screen. Although we’ll see a handful of characters return from the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad,’ there are quite a few new faces. Don’t worry if you don’t know every new character that Gunn is bringing in, where here to introduce them all to you.

Harley Quinn

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Harleen Quinzel
Played By: Margot Robbie
First Appearance: Batman the Animated Series
One of the returning characters from the original film, Harley Quinn (psychologist Doctor Harleen Quinzel) was once the Joker’s girl, helping him to break out of prison and become his clown partner of crime. But Harley grew to realize the Joker’s love wasn’t love, but abuse, and ran away to become her own anti-hero, more recently getting her own film as well. Harley uses a multitude of weapons but is well-known for her mallet and use of multiple firearms. Her outfit in the film seems to be taking inspiration from the Batman Arkham games, a nice callback.

Bloodsport

Idris Elba as Bloodsport in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Robert DuBois
Played By: Idris Elba
First Appearance: Superman Vol. 2 #4
This is not Bloodsport’s first live-action appearance, that honor goes to ‘Supergirl’ on The CW. In the comics, DuBois was an ex-soldier who, after seeing his brother come home mortally wounded, took up contract killing to fight against those he claimed ‘had freedom’ when they didn’t. TIt doesn’t look like the film is using all of that backstory, but if the trailer is anything to go by, it is using the story where he had gone toe-to-toe with Superman (and has even gotten the upper hand!) The big question is, since he’s worked for Lex Luthor in the past, will that be mentioned?

Rick Flag

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Anthony Miller.
Played By: Joel Kinnaman
First Appearance: The Brave and the Bold #25
Another returning character (and actor!) from the original film, Rick Flag is as “government agent” as a character can get. Brought in by Amanda Waller to lead tThe Suicide Squad, he’s the team’s field commander and accompanies them on every mission, to make sure they stay in line. In the comics, he comes from a long line of military men, and maybe with the film diving deeper into comic book territory, we may see this come up? While he has no superpowers, his military history and firearms expertise makes him a very well-trained member of the team.

Peacemaker

John Cena as Peacemaker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Christopher Smith
Played By: John Cena
First Appearance: Fightin’ 5 #40
One of the oldest characters on this list, Peacemaker originated in the 60s. A diplomat willing to get peace no matter what, Smith is willing to take down as many lives as possible to do so. Though it’s doubtful the film will use the ‘is haunted by the spirit of his father’ plotline, it seems to be taking the ‘peace at all cost’ very close to heart. Peacemaker is also the only character getting his own HBO Max show down the line.

Amanda Waller

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Amanda Blake
Played By: Viola Davis
First Appearance: Legends #1
Another returning character from ‘Suicide Squad,’ Amanda Waller is most likely the most well-traveled as well. Appearing in TV shows, games and other films, she is the head of the Suicide Squad, and chooses whether they live or die at the touch of a button. In the comics storylines, she’s been given the nickname of “The Wall” in reference to how steadfast she is. She revived the Suicide Squad from files found she came across while working, and if she has a “super power,” it’s that she holds the lives of the squad in her hands.

King Shark

Sylvester Stallone voices King Shark in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Nanaue
Played By: Sylvester Stallone
First Appearance: Superboy #0
One of two animal members of this Suicide Squad, but this isn’t his first on-screen appearance (he’s shown up in ‘The Flash’ and the animated Harley Quinn series). King Shark is the son of the king of sharks and a human mother. (Ahh, comics…) And he’s exactly what he sounds like; a shark. He has a history of eating people, capturing swimmers, etc. We wouldn’t be surprised if Superboy, his nemesis, is mentioned in the film, as Shark plays a big role in Superboy’s story.

Polka-Dot Man

David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Abner Krill
Played By: David Dastmalchian
First Appearance: Detective Comics #300
One of the more outlandish members of the Squad (and that’s saying something with a team member like Weasel), Krill was a crook who, after witnessing Batman doing his crime-fighting thing, decided to just go around Gotham doing crime with polka-dots. (I swear that was it, no other reason was necessary.) His polka-dots get used for multiple purposes, and there have been hints that there is a biological component to powers of this version of the character.. Krill has never been a member of the Squad (save for an ‘Injustice 2’ prequel comic) so it’ll be interesting to see what he did that was so terrible that brings him with everyone else.

Sol Soria

Alice Braga as Sol Soria in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Sol Soria
Played By: Alice Braga
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Little is known about Braga’s character, because she hasn’t seemed to appear in any comics, and her debut is this movie. What we do know is she hails from the (fictional) country of Corto Maltese, and is the head of the country’s resistance group. The country has appeared in the comics as a place where metahumans are tested on and created. It’s possible she could be related to Juan Soria, a comic character who shares the same last name as Sol, a member of the Squad with cybernetic enhancements.

Savant

Michael Rooker as Savant in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Brian Durlin
Played By: Michael Rooker
First Appearance: Birds of Prey #56
A villain turned bad, all because Batman told him he shouldn’t do vigilante work, Savant is as smart as they come… but he might forget that due to his forgetfulness. Being a character that’s teetered on the line of villain and vigilante, it is unknown if the film will delve into his background with the Birds of Prey, and his partner/boyfriend Creote. It appears Rooker might be playing an older version of Savant, so maybe we see Creote in a flashback, perhaps? For us, the audience, but not Savant, who wouldn’t remember them in the first place!

T.D.K.

Nathan Fillion as T.D.K. in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Cory Pitzner
Played By: Nathan Fillion
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Little is known about T.D.K as he is a creation specifically from the mind of James Gunn himself, so if that tells you anything… All we do know is that he’s a metahuman who can detach his arms and legs, while having the ability to control them telepathically, and we’ve recently learned the initials T.D.K. stand for The Detachable Kid. Gunn has gone on record saying T.D.K “is from a Saturday morning cartoon,” which doesn’t speak highly of his abilities in the type of movie Gunn makes. Fillion himself has said his character is more annoying than a threat as well, so we can just take them for their word!

Captain Boomerang

Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: George “Digger” Harkness
Played By: Jai Courtney
First Appearance: The Flash #117
The final returning character (and actor0 from the original film, Boomer started off as a Flash villain, and has appeared in both movies and the Flash TV series. Born in Australia, he grew up being very good at carving boomerangs and using them as weapons. He’s the other character in the movie (next to Harley) that’s been featured outside of the film universe on both TV and in video games, and the character will star alongside Harley in an upcoming Suicide Squad game.

Blackguard

Pete Davidson as Blackguard in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Richard Hertz
Played By: Pete Davidson
First Appearance: Booster Gold #1
Little is known about Blackguard’s comic book origins, other than he was hired by a group called ‘The 1,000’ and outfitted by them as well. His known powers are, interestingly, ergokinesis (the ability to manipulate energy) and use of multiple gadgets. We don’t know if the film will go into his metahuman abilities, but he is one of the characters to have a major costume change. We also don’t know if they will dive into his Booster Gold connection (which would mean Booster’s introduction into the DCEU). But Gunn could very well add that kind of surprise.

Weasel

Sean Gunn plays Weasel in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: John Monroe
Played By: Sean Gunn
First Appearance: The Fury of Firestorm #35
There’s a fun story about Weasel. In the movie, he looks like as an actual… weasel-like creature. But in the comic, he’s an actual man! Monroe was a student in the 1960s who was nicknamed ‘weasel’ by his peers as they bullied him. By day, he’s a college professor. By night, he’s a murderer, dressing in a costume (most likely where Gunn’s portrayal comes from) and calling himsef ‘Weasel’. We still don’t know how Gunn will justify making him an actual animal, but the DC’s “metahuman” concept will probably play a part.

The Thinker

Peter Capaldi as The Thinker in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Clifford DeVoe (we think)
Played By: Peter Capaldi
First Appearance: All-Flash #12
Again, like Weasel, we got a fun one. While most characters have been given their comic-connected names and villainious monikers, we do not know which version of Thinker that Capaldi is playing. So for clarity’s sake, I’ll be going into the DeVoe version, as he has also appeared in The Flash TV show. A failed lawyer, DeVoe used his smarts to be the brains behind many small-time thugs. He was able to use his smarts as a weapon, literally, with the help of his ‘thinker cap.’ which clearly plays a role in the film. Now we just have to see if Gunn will use Thinker as a master manipulator, too…

Javelin

Flula Borg as Javelin in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Gunter Braun
Played By: Flula Borg
First Appearance: Green Lantern #173
Javelin doesn’t seem to have a first name in the comics, so we’re using the name Gunn gives him in the film. While he’s not a metahuman, Braun is a talented Olympian! A former member of the German Olympic team, he turned to a life of crime, but it’s not clear why. The only ‘superpower’ he has? He’s incredibly good with javelin-based weapons. As seen in the film’s featurettes, Braun sees himself as the best-looking in the room and might be one of the most stuck-up members of the squad. Let’s hope that saves him!

Mongal

Mayling Ng as Mongal in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Mongal
Played By: Mayling Ng
First Appearance: Showcase ‘95
The only otherworldly member of the squad seen so far, Mongal is the daughter of DC villain Mongul, born and raised on the planet Debstam IV. She’s taken on Superman, and was later killed by her own brother. She has superhuman strength and resiliance, and a long history of fighting to the death. But will that be enough to keep her alive?

Ratcatcher (2)

Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher in ‘The Suicide Squad’

Real Name: Cleo Cazo
Played By: Daniela Melchior
First Appearance: The Suicide Squad
Last but not least, we have Ratcatcher. A new character to the DC canon, Cazo is the daughter of the original Ratcatcher, and like her father, controls rats using a device that puts them under her influence. Gunn has said that Cazo is the “heart of the film” and even describes her as being “completely out of her element” but goes ahead and tries to make friends with everyone around her. It should be interesting to see how she plays off everyone else, and how everyone else plays off her and her rats.

‘The Suicide Squad‘ will be in theaters on August 6.
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August 2, 2021
‘F9’ Review: Fast, Wild, and Worth Waiting for on the Big Screen

Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel in ‘F9’

It’s hard to look at the 20-year-old ‘The Fast & the Furious’ and see the beginnings of a blockbuster franchise, but here we are. And if the series has moved past illegal street races and into heist and spy movie territory, that’s all for the better. As this rogue’s gallery of street racers has become an unstoppable team of vehicle-based super agents, the movies in the franchise have increasingly raised the stakes for our heroes, physics and reality be damned. And you know what? It’s worked, including the latest chapter ‘F9.’

Where do you go after taking on a tank, a cargo plane, and a submarine? I won’t spoil anything here (although you’ll get some hints from the trailer), but it’s pretty impressive how director and co-writer Justin Lin takes the series to new heights while acknowledging the increasingly insane action sequences our heroes find themselves in.

Our story starts off with a flashback to Dom’s past, as he’s part of his father’s pit crew at what will be turn out to be the senior Toretto’s final race. We’re also introduced to Jakob, Dom’s younger brother. It’s hard to imagine that Dom, always preaching to us about family, has never, even mentioned his brother, but that’s far from the least-believable element in this movie. (To be clear, I’m not complaining about over-the-top elements, but you’ll need to go further than “willing suspension” and actively lock up your disbelief and throw away the key.)

We soon return to the present to see Dom (Vin Diesel) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez) living a bucolic life off the grid with young Brian, Dom’s adorable young son who (of course) is being taught how to fix engines by Dad. Do the Torettos miss all the extreme driving? Of course they do, but Dom claims to have left that in the past. But as an unknown SUV pulls up, Dom & Letty pull out some fairly heavy-duty weaponry and send Brian off to hide; clearly they fear the past hasn’t left them.

Their visitors turn out to be more of the old crew – Tej (Chris “Ludacris” Bridges), Roman (Tyrese Gibson), and Ramsey (Nathalie Emmanuel), who are welcomed with open arms. The visitors have come with news that the man that brought them into the spy game, Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell) has sent them a cryptic S.O.S. message. The message contains coordinates and evidence that an old nemesis, Cypher (Charlize Theron) is involved. Although initially hesitant, Dom joins the rest of the crew on a trip to Central America to find out what happened to Mr. Nobody.

Now that we have buy-in from Dom, the plot can get really get started. The crew’s discovery of mysterious tech leads to gunfights and a wild chase scene through the jungle, which then sets the stage for Jakob Toretto (John Cena) to make an appearance. It’s not a joyful reunion for the Toretto brothers. Jakob, almost as skilled a driver as Dom, is now a rogue secret agent, and makes off with that MacGuffin, leaving the rest of the crew dumbfounded. And now Mia (Jordana Brewster) is involved since, as she reminds Dom, Jakob is her brother too.

The plot then goes into classic James Bond territory; it turns out Jakob is working for Otto (Thue Ersted Rasmussen) the billionaire son of the head of an unnamed state, who plans to use the MacGuffin tech to take over the world. The plot jumps through a few hoops to show us some familiar faces past entries in the franchise, including Lucas Black, Helen Mirren, Shad “Lil’ Bow Wow” Moss, and most notably, Sung Kang as Han. The news of Sung Kang’s return broke a long time ago, but like the sudden discovery of brother Jakob, the story of Han’s reappearance is far from the most unbelievable part of the movie.

As in other long-running franchises, it can be tricky to give all the returning characters enough screen time to satisfy, but Lin manages to give everyone more than simply one moment to shine. In fact, one of the smartest moves he makes is to use the characters almost as a sort of Greek chorus, to comment on the very tropes he’s using in the movie. In one hilarious (and frankly mind-blowing) Gibson’s Roman questions the crew’s repeated survival, almost as if Lin was cribbing from Tom Stoppard’s ‘Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.’ We also get another character saying “if this was a movie, this is the moment when…” and I’ll be damned if it doesn’t work. But there are also some moments that give some characters a little more depth. The brief meditation on parenthood from Letty and Mia doesn’t feel forced too forced, mainly because Letty basically admits she’d rather be tearing it up instead of hiding out. And in one of the more inspired choices, we discover that Ramsey doesn’t drive, so obviously she has to get behind the wheel.

Rest assured, that if you came for the spectacle, you won’t be disappointed, and it’s amazing that the filmmakers are still coming up with new things to do with vehicles. This franchise has always made sure to make the cars into co-stars, and on his third outing in this series as cinematographer, Stephen F. Windon, is still using bright and vibrant colors and lighting to make the cars pop, and his framing really gives us a sense of the layout of each location. A trio of editors, Greg D’Auria, Dylan Highsmith, and Kelly Matsumoto, deftly follow multiple characters through each set piece and allow us to see the stakes for each individual without losing sight of the whole or getting confused as to who is doing what. There is one particular shot of Cena looking through iron bars that comes off a bit campy, though.

As much as this movie is a spy story, Lin keeps us invested in the relationship between Dom and Jakob. Flashbacks to Dom’s past will pop up throughout the film, and Lin uses them fairly effectively to support an arc in the brothers’ relationship as the movie progresses. This is absolutely an action movie, but Lin’s past outings in the franchise gives him a familiarity with the characters that helps this movie be a bit more than a just smash-em-up car movie. I may have some minor grumbles about some of Lin’s decisions (especially one of the final shots), but F9 turns out to be one of the better entries in the entire series. There’s also a great mid-credits scene.

For what it’s worth, I’m glad to have seen this on a big screen, although I’ll admit I love every entry in this franchise. I’m glad this one was held until it was safe (or safer) to go to a theater. If you’re open to it, there’s an infectious sense of fun that permeates this movie, and you’ll really feel it if you’re seeing it with other fans at the same time.

4 out of 5 stars

‘F9’ will be in U.S. theaters on June 25th.
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May 25, 2021
‘Playing With Fire’ Trailer Turns John Cena’s Tough Firefighter Into a Hapless Babysitter

Paramount Pictures

Raging fires are easier to control than three unruly kids, as John Cena learns in the trailer for “Playing With Fire.”

Cena stars as a straight-laced fire superintendent whose elite team of expert firefighters (Keegan-Michael Key, John Leguizamo and Tyler Mane) rescue three siblings from a wildfire.

Until their parents are found, the firefighters must take care of the kids, but quickly realize that no amount of training could prepare them for the challenge of babysitting. The firefighters have their lives, jobs and even their depot turned upside down as they learn that kids are as wild and unpredictable as any fire.

This is definitely a family movie, featuring some light comedy mostly in the vein of slapstick and pratfalls. Cena puts his physicality to use as he takes spills and shots from the kids.

“Playing With Fire” opens in theaters November 8.

July 17, 2019
John Cena In, Dwayne Johnson Out for ‘Fast & Furious 9’

Paramount

One muscled macho man enters, another one leaves: John Cena has officially joined “Fast & Furious 9,” Universal confirmed today.

But Dwayne Johnson, who costars in the “Hobbs & Shaw” spinoff, will reportedly not be part of the ninth film in the franchise, according to Deadline.

All we know about Cena’s character is that he’ll play “a badass.” Which really narrows things down.

Back in 2018, Daniel Casey was announced as the screenwriter, based on a story idea by director Justin Lin. Production starts later this month for a May 22, 2020 release.

Michelle Rodriguez recently re-committed to the franchise if they hired a female screenwriter — and apparently that’s not happening for the ninth film? Maybe the 10th?

[Via Deadline]

June 7, 2019
Vin Diesel Teases John Cena May Be Joining ‘Fast and Furious’ Cast

Universal Pictures

Will John Cena become the newest member of the “Fast and Furious” family?

It certainly looks that way from a video posted on Instagram by star/producer Vin Diesel, who credits the late Paul Walker with inspiring the casting decision for the upcoming “Fast and Furious 9.”

“Guys, as you know, I’m always thinking fast, and thinking about the responsibility of making something iconic and deserving of your loyalty,” Diesel says.

“I know this sounds crazy, but every blue moon I feel like Pablo up there sends me someone. Another soldier in the fight for truth. Today, someone came by Toretto Gym that speaks to what Pablo would have brought.”

The camera then pans to Cena, dressed in a suit, who waves and winks but doesn’t speak.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BwsrZnDnB8s/

With Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham getting their own “Fast” spinoff, “Hobbs and Shaw,” the franchise could be looking to infuse new fuel into its billion-dollar tanks. Cena has previously expressed interest in facing off/teaming up with fellow WWE alum Johnson in a “Fast and Furious” movie.

Cena’s acting career has been heating up in the past couple of years, with well-received turns in “Blockers” and “Bumblebee.” He is also rumored to be in talks for the “Suicide Squad” reboot/sequel.

“Fast and Furious 9” is slated to open in theaters May 22, 2020.
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April 29, 2019