The world of DC has been alight this week so far since James Gunn made the big announcement on Twitter of the first chapter of new projects slated for the DCU’s revamped timeline. Officially titled “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters,” Gunn revealed a staggering lineup of new series and films that will all serve as the starting point for his vision and even noted that what’s announced so far is only a part of what Chapter One has in store. A select number of those projects will head straight to HBO Max, and one of those series in particular that is catching a lot of attention is Waller.
As the title suggests, DC comic character Amanda Waller is now confirmed to have her own spinoff series, with award-winning actress Viola Davis reprising her role as the iron-fisted, temperamental civil servant. The series will apparently take place in the same universe as fellow DC spinoff Peacemaker (2022), which saw Davis’ Waller make a surprise cameo. The events of Waller will fall right in between seasons one and two of Peacemaker, picking up from where she was exposed by none other than her daughter as the mastermind behind the agendas of both the Suicide Squad and Task Force X. With her secrets and subterfuge now public knowledge, Waller will no doubt have to find a way to pull herself out of the hole she’s falling into. Given her ruthless reputation, it’s likely that her daughter Leota won’t exactly be free of consequences.
Viola Davis has previously expressed her enthusiasm about returning to the DC universe, given her love for comics, the fantasy behind them, and especially having the opportunity to play a strong character like Amanda Waller.
“I traded comic books as a kid so all of that appeals to me. When you dream about being an actor as a kid, that’s what you dream about. That’s like play acting: being the superhero, getting the gun; it plays into that fantasy.”
No release date has been set yet for the Waller series, but it will premiere on HBO Max alongside a few other of Gunn’s projects, as seen in the official, comic-style promo below. It will be helmed by Christal Henry (Watchmen) and Jeremy Carver (Doom Patrol), who both have ample experience adapting comics to screen.
Who Exactly Is Amanda Waller?
The character of Amanda Waller made her first big-screen appearance in David Ayer’s initial rendition of Suicide Squad (2016), cast by none other than Viola Davis, who played the role immaculately, to the point that some fans felt she was the true villain of the film rather than the Joker or Enchantress. Davis would go on to reprise her role in James Gunn’s reboot of the same movie, The Suicide Squad (2021), and later makes a cameo appearance in both Black Adam (2022) and the spinoff series Peacemaker (2022). Now set to have her own series, Waller is about to make the fearsome impact in the DC universe that she rightfully deserves.
For those unfamiliar with her character before those films, Amanda Waller originated in DC Comics back in 1986. Described as both an antagonist and an ally, Waller is a ruthless, high-ranking government official who uses all manner of guile, intimidation, and her political connections to achieve her goals, no matter the cost. She oversees research into metahumans, which led to her forming semi-secret, government-led groups of jailed supervillains such as the Suicide Squad, Task Force X, and ARGUS to complete unique, dangerous missions in exchange for amnesty. She is a force to be reckoned with, and Viola Davis will undoubtedly continue to portray her character in a fantastically insidious fashion.
