The Peacemaker Cast Explains Why The Opening Dance Number Is Different In Season 2 And Why It Was ‘More Strenuous’

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Warning: SPOILERS are ahead for the Peacemaker Season 2 premiere!

If you’re a fan of the show Peacemaker and recall your initial experience watching Season 1 on HBO Max, what’s likely your first memory? For me, it was the opening dance sequence set to the tune “Do You Wanna Taste It” by Wig Wam. For Season 2, which recently debuted in the 2025 TV schedule, creator James Gunn chose to film a fresh dance scene, this time accompanied by Foxy Shazam’s “Oh Lord.” Here’s a sneak peek:

When you think back to your first stream of Peacemaker Season 1 on HBO Max as a fan, what stands out most in your mind? For me, it was the opening dance number that played Wig Wam’s “Do You Wanna Taste It.” For Season 2, which just hit the 2025 TV schedule, show creator James Gunn opted for a new dance sequence, this time synchronized with Foxy Shazam’s “Oh Lord.” Here’s a glimpse:

Does it seem like the upcoming season could build upon the greatness we saw in Season 1? That’s a possibility, but some of the cast members shared with TopMob the reasons behind the changed dance number in this new set of episodes, and also why it turned out to be more challenging.

What Danielle Brooks And Freddie Stroma Said About Season 2’s Dance Number

Initially, we find Danielle Brooks and Freddie Stroma reprising their roles as Leota Adebayo and Adrian Chase/Vigilante in “Peacemaker” Season 2. These actors revealed to our Hannah Saulic that instead of the people at the end of the “Oh Lord” scene actually being exhausted from all the dancing, they were instructed by James Gunn to breathe heavily for the performance. Brooks labeled that day as “crazy” with numerous complexities. When asked whether learning Season 2’s dance number was more challenging than Season 1’s, the pair responded:

Freddie Stroma: “I wouldn’t know, I wasn’t in the first one.”

Danielle Brooks: “Indeed, an interesting tidbit! Yes, I was part of it, and if I may say so, the initial experience was quite challenging due to the complexity of the dance’s language. I found myself questioning, ‘What are we doing here? This feels awkward. I don’t understand. My body resists this movement. It wants to do something else.’ But over time, as I grasped more, the second time around, I was able to say, ‘Alright, I can pull this off.’

Freddie Stroma took over the role of Vigilante from Chris Conrad in the Peacemaker series after they had a creative disagreement and filmed five and a half episodes before leaving. This means Stroma had to redo or revoice all of Conrad’s scenes. Unfortunately, it seems Stroma was a bit upset he wasn’t part of the dance sequence in Season 1 since Vigilante is always in costume. However, if Danielle Brooks finds one role more challenging compared to her work in Season 2, maybe that turned out to be beneficial.

What Steve Agee Said About Season 2’s Dance Number

During a different conversation, I chatted with Steve Agee, the actor who portrays John Economos in Peacemaker. He not only shared with me the most challenging role to cast for Season 2 of the show but also shed light on the latest dance sequence. Previously, Agee had described the Season 1 dance as tough. I asked him how the difficulty level compared for Season 2’s dance routine, and he disclosed:

We executed the Season 1 dance routine in a single day, which felt incredibly arduous; to be honest, I can’t recall if it was an entire day. Moreover, we had fewer team members then, making it slightly less challenging. However, with the acclaim of Season 1 and particularly the opening dance number itself… Once that was released, it became the most talked-about aspect in interviews and discussions, people continually praising our choreography.

Speaking as a devoted cinema enthusiast, just like John Cena, who played both Economos in “The Suicide Squad” and other non-DCU films like “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” and “Creature Commandos,” it was only natural that “Peacemaker” Season 2 would require a fresh dance sequence. While I admit that “Do You Wanna Taste It” could have been retained as the tune, the unfortunate demises of several characters in Season 1 necessitated a revamp of the choreography at the very least. Consequently, it was decided that the dance number for Season 2 needed to be an even grander spectacle. As Cena put it, “the stakes are higher, so the dance had to step up its game too.

The experience was tough, let me tell you. Dancing isn’t really my thing, and I don’t have much coordination to boast about. But the thought of performing in the show wasn’t all dreadful. In fact, I was somewhat excited since the initial performance had been a hit. It was more like a sense of ‘Oh no, I have to dance again.’ We filmed it for two days, and boy, there were so many people around. The process seemed endless, but in the end, it turned out fantastic.

Apart from Freddie Stroma making his debut in the dance sequence of Peacemaker‘s second season, the existing cast was also joined by fresh faces like Tim Meadows, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, and Michael Rooker. To add to the excitement, David Denman’s role in the DCU series is now clear.

What David Denman Said About Season 2’s Dance Number

In the story “The Ties That Grind,” it’s disclosed that Denman portrays Keith Smith, a mature version of Christopher Smith’s deceased brother from another reality. Interestingly, Denman has a long-standing relationship with James Gunn and Clarissa Barton. The latter is responsible for choreographing the dance sequence in Season 2. Notably, Clarissa is married to Denman’s fellow Juilliard alumnus and friend, Alan Tudyk, who lent his voice to Doctor Phosphorous in “Creature Commandos” and Gary the Superman Robot in “Superman.” Given this connection, it was a delight for Denman to collaborate with Clarissa, remarking further on the opportunity.

1. I had an amazing time. That was the question on everyone’s lips when I landed the job. Were you participating in the performance too? I replied, ‘Absolutely, I’m part of it.’ They responded with excitement, ‘Wow, that’s fantastic!’ It was a bit tricky managing the lifts and other stunts with the costume and all, but yes, it was terrific and enjoyable.

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2. I had a fantastic time at work. That was the thing everyone wanted to know after I got hired for the show. Were you part of the performance? I said, ‘Sure thing, I’m involved.’ They replied with enthusiasm, ‘Wow, that’s cool!’ It wasn’t easy pulling off the lifts and other stunts while wearing the costume and so on, but it was excellent fun.

Hannah Saulic noted a difference between the end of the dance number in Peacemaker’s first season and the second season. While everyone appears victorious or triumphant at the end of Season 1, Denman observed that at the conclusion of Season 2, it seems like everyone was exhausted, as indicated by the large pile they ended up in.

In simpler terms, at the conclusion of the initial dance, it seemed as though they were all out of breath. This difficulty was intended to be reflected in this second dance, indicating it wasn’t an easy feat for them. It required significant effort from everyone involved. Apart from James’ desire, they all seemed to huddle together and Eagly climbed on top. Then, Clarissa gestured for someone to move, and in the end, I found myself cuddled up spooning John Cena backwards during our last day of filming. This allowed me a close-up, personal view of his impressive size.

There are only 7 episodes left in which “Peacemaker” viewers will get to see their favorite actors grooving to “Oh Lord”. I’ve been replaying the “Do You Wanna Taste It” dance number on YouTube for the past three years, so I’m sure I’ll do the same this time. The new episodes of “Peacemaker” air every Thursday on HBO Max, and if you’re interested in another DC Universe story, you can catch “Superman” both in cinemas and digitally.

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2025-08-22 04:10