The role of Peacemaker, portrayed by John Cena in The Suicide Squad and the self-titled series, was originally written for his former WWE rival Dave Bautista. Bautista revealed in an interview with ComicBook that he turned down the part due to a scheduling conflict.
Bautista explained that director James Gunn created the character with him in mind, but his commitment to Army of the Dead prevented him from taking the role. “I have to say, that one. I really wanted to do that part,” Bautista said. “[Gunn] wrote that part for me, and it was meant for me, and 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.”
Despite his disappointment, Bautista called Cena’s casting a “blessing in disguise,” saying his longtime rival was perfect for the role. “I think it was great,” Bautista stated. “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.” He added, “I can honestly say it wouldn’t have been as good.”
Bautista’s praise adds another chapter to their parallel careers. Both superstars rose through WWE at the same time, capturing their first world championships at WrestleMania 21 in 2005. Each became the face of his respective brand, carrying the company into a new era.
Their rivalry escalated in 2010, following a one-off encounter at SummerSlam 2008. The storyline saw a heel Batista challenge Cena for the WWE Championship, leading to a clash at WrestleMania XXVI that Cena won. The feud extended into several gimmick bouts, including an “I Quit” match that wrote Batista out of WWE storylines.
While their kayfabe animosity was intense, Bautista has clarified that any perception of real-life tension was fueled by fans and online speculation. Bautista retired from professional wrestling after WrestleMania 35 in 2019.