Ever since Marvel superstar director James Gunn assumed the mantle of creative lead on the next phase of DC Universe films, a flurry of news has emerged around his Feige-style unrolling of “Chapter 1” in his upcoming “book” of DCU projects. While plans for a Superman reboot and a reimagining of Supergirl have taken most of the oxygen in the conversation, an intriguing bit of information also dropped that’s inspired less conversation and yet may prove to be a key project in Gunn’s cinematic renovation project: Waller, a Viola Davis-led series spun off from Gunn’s critically-acclaimed and highly-rated Peacemaker.
Having the Tony, Emmy, and Oscar-winning Davis serve as a cornerstone in Gunn’s plans to build a coherent Marvel-style cinematic universe helps add a bit of prestige and class to the project. And while Peacemaker’s season one finale saw Amanda Waller exposed as an agent of aliens intent on taking over the Earth to save mankind from itself, it’s certain Gunn has a plan to recenter the character for her own series.
Viola Davis certainly has the resumé to carry her own series, but at the end of the day no superhero film, show, or comic can be complete without a compelling set of heroes and villains. And with a proven producer behind the camera, and one of America’s great living actresses in front of it, Gunn will undoubtedly have his pick of actors willing to appear on screen with Davis. As such, here is WGTC’s guide to the six actors who could help elevate Waller into a series as compelling as Peacemaker.
WILL SMITH
Will Smith’s Deadshot was seen as a major component in David Ayers’ disappointing 2016 effort Suicide Squad to the extent that rumors circulated that the role would be recast with Idris Elba, who ended up starring as an original character in James Gunn’s semi-sequel The Suicide Squad. However, despite a controversial appearance physically assaulting comedian Chris Rock at last year’s Academy Awards ceremony, and his subsequent less-than-convincing YouTube apology, Smith remains an Oscar-winning actor and a major celebrity. Thus he would make a compelling antiheroic or even outright villainous turn as a reconstituted Deadshot.
PRIYANKA CHOPRA
If Chopra, a famous actress in Bollywood, hasn’t found her groove with American audiences, it’s not for a lack of putting in the work. She’s made a career out of putting in top tier work in big budget films that never clicked with an audience, whether the Rock-starring Baywatch effort, or the too-late Matrix sequel Ressurections. Perhaps it would take a role as a heroic vigilante like Bird of Prey’s Huntress in this James Gunn DC series to finally help Chopra break through with Western audiences.
JASON STATHAM
Statham has never appeared in a Marvel or DC film, but he has made a career of playing antiheroes who are so strong and overpowered that they might as well have been. He’s also no stranger to appearing in big budget franchises, holding down his role in the Fast & Furious films as Deckard Shaw, the villain-turned-member of the F&F family. And if Statham can convince using a bulletproof baby carrier as a shield in an airborne jet, he can certainly portray one of DC’s grey area heroic villains like Ares, the God of War.
JACKIE CHAN
Speaking of superheroic feats, there’s no actor in the world who qualifies as a real-life superhero than martial arts superstar Jackie Chan, known for doing his own stunts to such an extent that the blooper reels at the end of his films often feature him getting loaded into an ambulance. A worldwide superstar who can open a film for the all-important Chinese audience, there’s no one better suited to play the Ryan Choi version of DC’s The Atom than Hong Kong’s notorious “nice guy” action hero.
DENZEL WASHINGTON
If there’s one actor with the chops and award hardware to go toe-to-toe with Viola Davis, it’s Denzel, the two-time Oscar-winning Hollywood institution. While Washington is the rare actor who seems to have too much gravitas to appear in something as frivolous as a series spun off from a show about a trailer-dwelling mess with a bald eagle for a pet, he and Waller can provide the heart of a show guaranteed to spin-off in several crazy directions.
MERYL STREEP
Similarly, there’s very few actresses in Davis’ class. And while it may seem unlikely that the grand dame of American cinema would stoop to anything like superheroic antics, she’s been known to mix in “fun” projects in with her recent work, including the Mamma Mia series and playing Cousin Topsy in Mary Poppins Returns. In the newly-constituted DCU, there’s room for the pure evil villain Granny Goodness. And anyone who doubts Streep would convince as a straight villain should watch her as Miranda Priestly, The Devil Wears Prada’s “boss from hell.”
