James Gunn Cast A Peacemaker Actor Because Of A Scooby-Doo Audition 20 Years Ago

With hits like "The Suicide Squad," "Guardians of the Galaxy," and "Guardians of the Galaxy 2," James Gunn became a cross-over success story from genre darling to one of the most highly-sought after superhero film directors. Before stepping into the world of comic book heroes, Gunn was known for his edgy dive into wannabe heroes with "Super," his love letter to B-movies, "Slither," and an extensive history of working with schlock label, Troma Films. For many, however, James Gunn will always be the guy who penned the scripts for 2002's live-action "Scooby-Doo," and 2004's "Scooby-Doo: Monsters Unleashed." Sure, James Gunn gave us Michael Rooker covered in blue body paint screaming, "I'm Mary Poppins, y'all!" but he also gave us the canonical proof that Scrappy-Doo is the absolute worst. Now, his decision-making in casting "Scooby-Doo" is impacting the upcoming HBO Max series, "Peacemaker."

Many may know "Peacemaker" star Lochlyn Munro from his work on "Riverdale," "Freddy vs. Jason," and "Spiral," but he was almost Shaggy in James Gunn's "Scooby-Doo" movie. In the most recent episode of the podcast, The Dave and Creech Show, Munro shared that his audition for "Scooby-Doo" is partially responsible for his casting on "Peacemaker."

I ended up in this project because when he saw my tape, he remembered that I was one of his choices for Shaggy. So, I went in – Obviously, [Matthew] Lillard was the perfect choice for that character. But that's kind of how he went, 'Oh, yeah, I want Lochlyn in this, because I remember he was one of my choices for "Scooby-Doo."' Twenty years later, isn't that weird?

The upcoming spin-off series "Peacemaker," is based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name, and was recently featured in Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" with John Cena playing the character seeking peace at all costs. The series is set after the events of the film, following the subsequent missions of the anti-hero, with Cena returning to play the titular character. Munro will be playing a detective named Larry Fitzgibbon, an original character Gunn created specifically for the series, as well as a trademark of James Gunn's work. Almost every movie (and non-movie projects like the videogame "Lollipop Chainsaw") by James Gunn has a character named "Fitzgibbon" in honor of his personal friend, Larry Fitzgibbon.

Lochlyn Munro has been working steadily since the early 1990s but has never quite "hit the big time" in a way that he should have by now. Hopefully his attachment to something as high profile as "Peacemaker" will finally let audiences see what so many of us have known for decades, that Lochlyn Munro is a dynamite character actor who deserves to stay booked and busy.

"Peacemaker" is set to premiere on HBO Max on January 13, 2022.