Summary
- Leota Adebayo, an original character in Peacemaker, may have a vital role in upcoming DC movies and TV shows due to James Gunn’s inspiration.
- James Gunn’s familial themes in prior works suggests that characters inspired by his loved ones, like Adebayo who is named after his mother, will not be pushed aside in the future of the DCU.
- The entire Peacemaker cast, including Adebayo, is expected to have big roles in the future, as Gunn has committed to keeping them in the franchise despite the rebooted continuity.
One important DCU character may be even more vital to the franchise’s future than first thought thanks to an interesting piece of inspiration from James Gunn. Given that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s ending marked the DCEU’s swan song, 2024 will officially kickstart the rebooted version of the franchise. This has turned attention to the upcoming projects being developed as part of James Gunn’s DCU movie and TV slate from Superman: Legacy and Swamp Thing to Paradise Lost and Lanterns.
While the franchise is sure to include the iconic characters that will make up Gunn’s DCU Justice League, it will also contain several smaller, lesser-known heroes from DC Comics. One of these examples is Peacemaker as John Cena is expected to return in season 2 of the DC TV show. Alongside Cena’s Peacemaker in season 1, however, was an intriguing original character. This character may yet prove to have a more vital role in upcoming DC movies and TV shows due to one interesting inspiration Gunn had when writing Peacemaker.
Leota Adebayo’s Inspiration Supports Her Continuing As a Permanent DCU Character
The DCU hero in question is Leota Adebayo, an original character who was introduced in Peacemaker season 1. Aside from Cena’s titular antihero, Adebayo was arguably the main character of the show and was brought to life perfectly by Danielle Brooks. That said, one could be excused for assuming the character would be sidelined in the DCU in favor of other superheroes like those of the Justice League or other superteams.
That said, a recent insight into the character’s conception from James Gunn has supported the idea of Adebayo continuing as a mainstay of the DCU. When asked on Threads if Leota Adebayo was named after his mother, Gunn confirmed this was the case. Given the strong connection Gunn has to family based on his prior works, it is unlikely that a character inspired by his mother will be pushed aside going forward, especially after the important role Adebayo played in Peacemaker season 1.
How James Gunn’s Peacemaker DCU Moves Suggest The Cast Will Get Bigger Roles
Alongside the importance of Adebayo’s connection to Gunn’s real family, other updates about the DCU suggest the entire Peacemaker cast will continue to receive big roles in the future. Since the DCU has been confirmed, Gunn has similarly confirmed that the entire cast of Peacemaker will continue despite having to explain how they have transitioned between what was the DCEU and the new, rebooted continuity. With such a commitment being taken by Gunn, it is hard to imagine the Peacemaker cast will have reduced roles.
If Gunn is willing to somewhat break continuity by transitioning those characters over, it suggests the filmmaker has a bigger, extended plan for the Peacemaker sub-franchise of the DCU. This includes the titular character but also others like Adebayo, Vigilante, Emilia Harcourt, and John Economos. Combined with the sentimental inspiration behind Adebayo’s character, it seems as though the Peacemaker crew will be mainstays once the DCU truly begins.