Jasper, Ala., native Michael Rooker has played his share of bad guys, or at least characters with questionable values. In the long-awaited season 2 of the hit HBO Max show “Peacemaker,” Rooker takes on a new villain, according to showrunner and “Superman” director James Gunn.

“His name is Red St. Wild, and he’s the world’s foremost eagle hunter who is on a mission to kill Eagly,” Gunn, who also directed the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films and “The Suicide Squad,” told Entertainment Weekly.

As fans of the show know, Eagly is the sidekick of the Peacemaker (the titular antihero played by pro wrestler and actor John Cena). “We thought Eagly was probably the most popular character from season one, and so in season two, he has his own story with his nemesis, played by none other than the despicable Michael Rooker,” Gunn said.

Rooker, perhaps best known as Yondu Udonta in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” film series, has played Henry in “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer,” Merle Dixon in “The Walking Dead” and Cobb Milsap in the HBO comedy series “The Righteous Gemstones.”

Season two debuts on HBO Max Aug. 21, 2025. The Peacemaker, a character in the extended DC universe, is considered an antihero: he is a vigilante but acts in a quest for peace. The series is a spinoff of the maniacally delicious “Suicide Squad,” if that gives you some idea of the tone of the show. Rooker played Savant in “The Suicide Squad” and “Creature Commandos.” He also appeared in two other Gunn-directed movies, “Slither” and “Super.”

“Peacemaker” took a 3-year break following season one because Gunn was named head of DC in the meantime which required him to complete other projects, the EW story said. Read the full story here.

Watch the trailer for season two of “Peacemaker” in the video below.