The TV series “Peacemaker” has been renewed for a second season.
The recent announcement has one local business rep feeling cautiously optimistic the superhero series will return to film locally again.
“Peacemaker” was filmed in and around Cloverdale and Surrey for several months in the spring and summer of 2021. The series is a Suicide Squad spin-off with John Cena starring as Peacemaker, “a ruthless killer who believes in achieving peace at any cost.” Gunn directed the series as it explored the origins of the Peacemaker character.
Paul Orazietti, the executive director for the Cloverdale BIA, said the series benefited Cloverdale.
“They spent a lot of money here, but they also donated to the community,” he said. “The series also sets Cloverdale up as a tourist destination for fans because they want to come and see the local places it was filmed.”
He said he’s met fans from all over the world that came to Cloverdale just to see set locations for “Smallville” and other movies and TV series. He thinks the same will happen for “Peacemaker.”
“I hope they come back here for season two,” said Orazietti. “The headquarters (filmed in the Dann’s Electronics building) has been compromised. So it’s up to the director, which may or may not be James Gunn.”
Peacemaker’s headquarters is known in the series as “Henenlotter Video,” a long-shuttered, abandoned movie rental store.
“As a recurring location, they haven’t determined that that site will continue on.”
Orazietti spent a lot of time on set over several months, both liaising with the film crew and local business as well as stealing some glimpses of the show in progress and the inner workings of a Hollywood North set. He’s now a big fan of the Peacemaker character and the series. As such, he’s been following developments closely.
“It’s difficult because although they’ve announced a second season, it’s all rests on Mr. Gunn’s availability,” explained Orazietti. “He’s the brainchild behind everything and right now he’s overwhelmed.”
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Gunn is currently filming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023), working on the post-production for a Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special to be released this Christmas, writing a screenplay for Wile E. Coyote (2023), and getting ready to start filming an as-yet unnamed TV series.
“Gunn is so busy, they’re talking about shooting in the late fall or early in 2023,” he said. “So now, because of such a lengthy delay, they may even have to bring in another director.”
Orazietti said he’s not surprised the first season of “Peacemaker” vaulted to the top of streaming services when it dropped in early January. It became the number one streaming show worldwide a short time later, according to Parrot Analytics. Parrot noted it was “69.5 times more in demand than the average series.”
Just one year ago this group first came to town & set up shop. Its been super peaceful ever since...even more proud to brag that Dir J Gunn has been to Coverdale on two different projects! (Slither & PM) #peacemaker @DCpeacemaker @peacemaker @BCCreates @THR pic.twitter.com/Lhbm8l5lIP
— Paul Orazietti (@Paradeguy) February 12, 2022
“We have a very unique relationship with film productions here in Cloverdale,” added Orazietti. “On the one hand, they are filmed on the streets for all to see, but they also have some elements that they want to keep secret. And so the relationship with “Peacemaker” was frosty at first, but the relationship started to shift when they saw we were embracing the show.”
That relationship eventually garnered the Cloverdale BIA a $10,000 donation as Scriptures Productions Inc.—the company that produced the series—donated the money for the redevelopment of Hawthorne Square.
As for Gunn, he said in a statement after the second season was announced that creating “Peacemaker” was one of the true highlights of his life. “To have something we all love so much be loved by the audience in turn has been a wonderful experience. I can’t wait for folks to see where Team Peacemaker goes in Season Two!”
Orazietti thinks the show benefited from Gunn’s unique approach, which reflected itself both on screen and off.
“Peacemaker has set a new bar for TV shows and streaming because of the amount of support and dialogue that came from the creators and the cast.
“When you look at Twitter and other avenues, they gave out way more details and depth than you ever would have had with any other show. They engaged with audiences. They set the bar high.”
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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