On this week’s episode of Peacemaker, and spoilers past this point, Michael Rooker’s character Red St. Wild probably dies. Or is horribly mutilated. Either way, it sure seems like the character isn’t coming back for the last three episodes of the season… But that’s not necessarily the last time we’ll see James Gunn’s regular actor Rooker in a role in the DCU.
On this week’s episode of the Peacemaker podcast, Rooker guested and expanded further on our previous report that he took over the role of Red St. Wild at the last second. Actually, past the last second, as another, thus far unrevealed actor, was previously cast and shot most of the scenes for the role. On the podcast, Gunn recalls being out to dinner and throwing the situation by Rooker, that they could either cast him as Red St. Wild because they were in a bind, or save him for a meatier role, later on in the nascent superhero universe.
Rooker, however, was up for whatever Gunn thought was best, so they made a deal.
That deal? Gunn explained, “We will not consider this meaning that you can’t play another role in the DCU.”
Added Rooker, “And that was a big deciding factor for me.”
So to be clear, the deal was that Rooker would play Red St. Wild and refilm all the scenes the previous actor filmed, so they could finish Peacemaker Season 2. (Though Gunn did add, “I kind of thought of this character as you from the beginning, which is probably an unfair thing to the actor that we originally hired.”) But that wouldn’t preclude him from coming back later on in the DCU.
“So we’ll make you like as much, like, ridiculous as we can, and if you need to come in and play another role, at some point, we’ll still do that,” Gunn continued.
What’s interesting about this, and strangely not discussed, is that Rooker has already played three roles in the DCU. He was Savant in The Suicide Squad, the voice of Sam Fitzgibbon in Creature Commandos, and a Superman Robot in Superman. Like Red St. Wild, all of those prior characters died, so at this point, make Rooker the Kenny of the DCU and kill him in every project. Why not?
Rooker, though, is savvy as always and predicted this very article. Well, maybe not this very article, but the big takeaway from the interview.
“Well, you know what the fans are going to take, from this conversation now,” Rooker said, I believe staring directly into my soul, “that I’ll be coming back to the DC and, a major, major substantial role.”
Joked Gunn, “This is where we tell you that Michael Rooker is The Flash.”
There you have it, folks, a world exclusive: Michael Rooker is The Flash in the DCU. Or at least, as Peacemaker star Steve Agee quipped immediately afterwards, “The Hot Flash.”
Peacemaker Season 2 Premiere Dates And Episode Guide:
Peacemaker season 2 premiered on HBO Max on Thursday, August 21. The season will be eight episodes long, with one episode premiering per week.
Here’s the full list of episodes in Peacemaker Season 2, with premiere dates:
- Thursday, August 21, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 1
- Thursday, August 28, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 2
- Thursday, September 4, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 3
- Thursday, September 11, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 4
- Thursday, September 18, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 5
- Thursday, September 25, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 6
- Thursday, October 2, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 7
- Thursday, October 9, 2025: Peacemaker, Season 2, Episode 8 *Season Finale*
Where To Watch Peacemaker:
Listen to Sons Of A Gunn:
Discover more from Comic Book Club
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.