Though it’s still searching for a director to take charge, Suicide Squad 2 has reportedly been placed on the fast-track as Warner Bros. looks to build on the success – the financial success, at least – of David Ayer’s anti-hero spinoff.
Buried in THR’s report about the newly-unveiled Joker and Harley Quinn movie was news about Task Force X’s next big-screen outing, and how it may arrive sooner than expected. Jared Leto is back to reprise as the Clown Prince of Crime for both Suicide Squad 2 and the female-fronted Gotham City Sirens, with the latter DC tentpole coming by way of David Ayer. And that’s despite rumors suggesting the Bright filmmaker was headed for the exit door.
Suicide Squad 2, meanwhile, has struggled to locate a director to call its own. Word is that Jaume Collet-Serra (The Shallows) is no longer in contention for the coveted gig, after booking a ticket for Dwayne Johnson’s Jungle Cruise, though with a mid-2018 production start on the cards for the villain-centric sequel, it’s safe to assume that Warner Bros. will waste no time in filling the director’s chair. Just don’t expect Mel Gibson to be the one calling the shots from behind the lens.
Story-wise, Suicide Squad 2 has been playing its cards close to the vest. The original movie launched in close proximity to Batman V Superman, and even featured a brief cameo from the Caped Crusader himself. But now that Task Force X have cemented their place in the ever-evolving DC Extended Universe, we’re more inclined to believe that Warner Bros. will allow their Suicide Squad sequel to stand on its own two feet, albeit with some subtle references here and there.
Because these past few days alone have been an absolute whirlwind for the DCEU overall. On Tuesday evening, for instance, it was revealed that a Joker origin film had entered the formative stages of development over at WB. Todd Phillips of The Hangover fame is the brains behind the script, and may well go on to direct the spinoff – a spinoff that exists outside of the DCEU – should the stars align. And then there’s the recently-unveiled Joker and Harley Quinn flick, which is purportedly targeting Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love) as potential directors. Still with us?
Suicide Squad 2 is expected to go before the cameras mid-way through 2018, which would place the anti-hero sequel on course for a theatrical release in 2019. Assuming that is indeed the case, it’ll join Wonder Woman 2 and, presumably, David Sandberg’s Shazam movie.
