Earlier this week, the internet was rocked by the revelation that James Gunn will be writing and maybe directing the planned Suicide Squad 2. While this was intriguing enough news in its own right, a subsequent report said that the upcoming DC flick won’t be a straightforward sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad, while also raising the possibility of a total recasting.
But if you’re thinking that James Gunn could be given a completely clean slate to reinvent this series, Twitter user Daniel RPK – who has a pretty good track record for inside scoops – claimed that this won’t be the comprehensive makeover that some fans are either fearing or fantasizing about, writing:
“I asked about it and was told “Think more like G.I. Joe: Retaliation than a full-blown reboot.” So It’ll be set in the same world, it’ll have some of the same actors but it’ll feel [fresh] and new.”
If, heaven forfend, you haven’t seen G.I. Joe: Retaliation, the 2013 flick functioned as a soft reboot for the series, reworking the central team while still keeping some cast members and other well-received elements from The Rise of Cobra. Given the strained history between Gunn and Jared Leto, however, there’s still the distinct possibility that we won’t be seeing the Joker in this next installment.
While the first Suicide Squad was panned by critics and proved divisive with fans, most viewers would agree that the central cast wasn’t the main problem, suggesting that Gunn could still win over plenty of new converts to this property if regulars like Margot Robbie and Will Smith come back for another round. Of course, if Suicide Squad 2 does largely stick with the original team, there’s still nothing stopping Gunn from bringing in a few fresh faces, so by all means, hold onto your hopes, Dave Bautista fans.
