Ensemble Piece Centering On Non-Mainstream Characters
No one batted an eye when Warner Bros. finally decided to unite Batman and Superman onscreen, as the two superheroes are among the most popular of all-time. Yet, the decision to build a film around characters like Captain Boomerang, El Diablo and Enchantress requires a far stronger leap of faith.
With the notable exception of Harley Quinn and Deadshot (who have remained prominent on television and in video games), non-comic book readers have little to no familiarity with the ensemble of Suicide Squad. Much like Marvel bet the $170 million budget of Guardians of the Galaxy on unknown quantities like Drax the Destroyer and Rocket Raccoon, Warner Bros. is hoping that it can use Suicide Squad to establish a cast of colorful characters who can play larger roles in the films ahead.
How well it establishes its characters as compelling figures worth further exploration may vary, but at least Suicide Squad makes it clear who it’s really interested in developing in coming films.