After much uncertainty, it seems as if we’ll definitely be getting a Suicide Squad 2. Those box office numbers proved to be strong enough to justify a sequel and now, Warner Bros. is on the hunt for a director. Earlier today, we heard that Mel Gibson was in talks, along with Daniel Espinosa and tonight, Variety is reporting that Zombieland‘s Ruben Fleischer and Warm Bodies‘ Jonathan Levine are also being eyed by the studio to take the helm.
From what we understand, there’s no clear frontrunner at the moment, given that it’s so early on in the search, and it’s expected that additional names will be added to the shortlist before a decision is made. When WB will settle on someone is unknown, but the project is definitely a priority for them and we imagine they won’t wait too long before selecting a filmmaker to direct the sequel.
As for who our money’s on, well, that’s hard to say at the moment. Gibson’s riding quite high right about now off the back of an Oscar nom and Hacksaw Ridge was without a doubt one of 2016’s very best films. He may be seen as a risky pick to some, given his history, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the studio takes a gamble on the Braveheart director. Then again, the other contenders listed here stand a good chance as well.
Daniel Espinosa is getting ready to release the buzzy sci-fi pic Life, while both Fleischer and Levine have flirted with comic book movies in the past and are considered to be exciting young talents that still haven’t really had their shot at the big leagues yet. The same could be said for Espinosa too, in fact, and really, the main thing separating these three and Gibson is experience.
Ultimately, it’s going to come down to whether Warner Bros. wants an experienced veteran behind the camera for Suicide Squad 2 or if they’d rather try out some fresher blood. Really, they can’t go wrong with anyone here, though we must admit that we didn’t care much for Espinosa’s Safe House.
If it was up to us, we’d be intrigued to see what Mel Gibson could do with a project like this. We absolutely adored Hacksaw Ridge and would love to see his comeback continue with a high-profile studio sequel. That’s just our opinion, though. What do you think? Would you be into seeing Gibson direct Suicide Squad 2? Let us know in the usual place!
