This Half Of Filming Peacemaker Season 2 Was More durable Than The First [Exclusive]

One would think about there are every kind of difficulties in filming an over-the-top superhero collection just like the HBO Max hit “Peacemaker,” from probably uncomfortable costumes to the high-intensity stunts. For actor Steve Agee, who portrays curmudgeonly super-hacker John Economos, these weren’t actually considerations, however one other beloved “Peacemaker” ingredient was: the opening credit dance. Whereas Agee is musically gifted and has performed in a number of bands, dancing is not precisely his forte. He has commented on how difficult it was studying the dance for the primary season of “Peacemaker” beforehand, although apparently season 2 was even tougher. 

I had the prospect to take a seat down by way of Zoom and chat all issues “Peacemaker” with Agee, and the person behind everybody’s favourite grumpy man within the eleventh Road Youngsters shared that for season 2’s opening sequence, the shoot took longer, the dance was extra complicated, and so they had much more apply. The opening credit for season 2, set to “Oh Lord” by Cincinnati-based rock group Cunning Shazam, are a bit extra critical and intense than the season 1 credit set to Wig Wam’s “Do Ya Wanna Style It?,” which actually matches the moods of the 2 seasons themselves. There’s extra occurring, a bit extra drama and much more characters, however that every one makes for one killer intro.

Agee defined that whereas they set to work with season 1 dance choreographer Charissa-Lee Barton once more in season 2, and she or he did her greatest to assist them get it down, it was nonetheless a much bigger dedication than the primary time round: 

“It was actually troublesome studying this dance. The primary one was troublesome. We do not present up on the day and have Charissa present us do the strikes. It is a day or two every week for a number of months getting in and assembly along with her, and she or he breaks down the dance into the sections. So that you be taught them by sections after which she has her assistant, Flo, maintain up a telephone and document you with the intention to go residence and hopefully rehearse in your downtime. I feel lots of people didn’t try this. However this second one, it is a longer intro as a result of we’ve extra individuals, so it is a longer dance. We shot it for 2 days versus a day for season 1. So it was troublesome.”

The season 2 dance options Peacemaker (John Cena) and his buddies within the eleventh Road Youngsters, together with new season 2 adversaries like Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag, Sr., Tim Meadows’ Langston Fleury, and a few characters from the alternate universe Peacemaker discovers in his lifeless dad’s closet. It is a number of enjoyable, even when it isn’t fairly as learnable because the season 1 dance, however the remaining transfer, wherein everybody principally lies down and pretends to be lifeless, is past charming. 

Whereas Agee mentioned that a few of his fellow actors additionally struggled with the dance, together with Robert Patrick, frequent Gunn collaborator Michael Rooker, and Meadows, everybody had a very completely different tactic when it got here to the ultimate pile. Some forged members appear to be having a number of enjoyable promoting the concept they’re croaking, whereas Grillo simply appears to have a case of the giggles. Agee is not precisely on the entrance of the pile, and that is by design, he mentioned. “If you happen to watch, I am one of many final individuals to put down and you’ll clearly see me in search of a cushty place. There are individuals laying in that pile who’re on their backs, head the wrong way up,” he mentioned. He did not need to take care of any of that, so he determined to “fall into it and simply relaxation right here whereas the digital camera rolls.” 

Truthfully, after a complete day of doing complicated choreography, you are gonna take no matter likelihood to relaxation you may, and it is laborious in charge Agee. Possibly subsequent season’s theme will likely be a sluggish jam and the dance will likely be somewhat lower-energy, although I am not betting on it. You possibly can be taught the steps to the season 1 dance right here in case you actually need to style simply what the forged is coping with, simply do not forget that season 2 is even tougher (in case you’re dance-challenged like Agee, Patrick, and me, anyway). 

New episodes of “Peacemaker” premiere Thursdays on HBO Max.