Batista’s an absolute megastar in Hollywood and he’s worked with the likes of James Gunn in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, he actually turned down the role of Peacemaker and has now explained why he did that in the first place.
While speaking to ComicBook, Dave Batista talked about missing out on the role of Peacemaker, admitting that John Cena was ultimately the perfect choice.
Batista explained that James Gunn originally wrote the part for him, but he had to turn it down because of a scheduling conflict while filming Army of the Dead. The timing simply couldn’t be worked out.
Looking back, Batista called it a blessing in disguise. He believes he could not have played the character the way John Cena did, saying Cena brought something unique that made the role and the show as successful as they are. Batista said that if he had taken the part, it wouldn’t have been the same and likely wouldn’t have been as good.
“I really wanted to do that part. [James Gunn] wrote that part for me, and it was meant for me. It just became a scheduling thing where I just couldn’t do it, because I was doing Army of the Dead. And so it was a scheduling issue that we just could not figure out. It was a blessing in disguise that I didn’t do that, because I have to say, I have to be honest, there’s no way that I would have been able to do that role like John. He’s just perfect for it, you know, and I wouldn’t have done it justice, and it wouldn’t have been as successful. I just wouldn’t have been able to do the same thing that John does to bring to that character. It wouldn’t have been the same. It wouldn’t have been as good. I can honestly say it wouldn’t have been as good.”
Batista has built a respected acting career with praised roles in Blade Runner 2049, Dune, and Glass Onion. So while he didn’t get to play Peacemaker, it ultimately turned out for the best.
Would Peacemaker have worked if Batista had played the lead role, or is John Cena truly the perfect fit? Share your thoughts below and let us know who else you’d like to see take on a superhero role in the future!
September 18, 2025 8:54 am
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