The new HBO Max show, Peacemaker, has become an instant hit with fans due to the acting, humor, and obsession with hair metal songs. Creator James Gunn (also known for The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy), has revealed how he constructed the playlist for his series, including the tune “Do Ya Really Wanna Taste It” by Wig Wam, which provides the backing track for a comical dance sequence in the intro of the show.
Peacemaker, which stars John Cena as the title character along with Danielle Brooks and Freddie Stroma, is a spin-off from the 2021 film, The Suicide Squad. Taking place directly after the events of the movie, the series follows jingoistic killer Christopher Smith/Peacemaker as he joins the black ops squad "Project Butterfly," which targets extra-terrestrial parasitic butterfly-like creatures. Gunn, who wrote all eight Peacemaker episodes during the COVID-19 pandemic, admitted that he spends more time gathering songs for his projects than he does generating ideas for the script.
Speaking to Billboard, the award-winning director shared how he formed the hair metal soundtrack that has now become synonymous with Peacemaker. Gunn, who titled his younger self as a “punk rock kid,” had been longing to do a hair metal soundtrack for a while prior to the creation of Peacemaker. However, as his new show began to form, Gunn saw an opportunity to include the songs as something his title character would listen to and love. Talking about how the playlist tailored to the personality of Peacemaker, Gunn said, “I think hair metal is where Christopher Smith claimed his own thing that had nothing to do with his father and something that his father hated.” Gunn is a clear fan of the music himself, as the playlist for the series ended up being filled with over 400 songs that eventually had to be cut down to 100 favorites. Nevertheless, despite the large number, the director says that “95% of the songs are written into the script.”
While all the songs in Peacemaker have a catchy tone, the most memorable track is the Wig Wam hit that plays throughout the intro as the cast perform a dance that is certain to be parodied around the world. Commenting on how the Peacemaker opening credits scene has become an instant classic, Gunn said that it was his intention to create an opening that people would not skip. “I just wanted to create something that showed how fun the show was going to be. Creatively, we don’t have any boundaries. We’re going to show that with this absolutely ludicrous dance scene up front.”
It seems that Gunn's creativity with the soundtrack has not only been a benefit for the show. When asked if any bands featured in the series have thanked him, Gunn revealed that groups like Santa Cruz, Cruel Intentions and House of Pain have all contacted him. Furthermore, Norwegian glam metal band, Wig Wam, whose music gets played the most due to the intro, prevented being dropped by their booking agent and are now on a successful streak again after the trailer for Peacemaker was released.
Since its premiere on January 13th, Peacemaker has certainly caused a positive reaction around the world, and with a playlist as long as Gunn's hair metal one, there are certainly going to be more iconic songs to come.
Peacemaker episodes 1-5 are now available on HBO Max.
Source: Billboard
