Will Smith out; Idris Elba in.
That was very much the big Suicide Squad announcement yesterday evening, when The Hollywood Reporter revealed that James Gunn’s retooled sequel will draft Elba, star of Luther and the upcoming Hobbs and Shaw spinoff, into the vacant role of Deadshot.
He’s one of three existing characters expected to return for The Suicide Squad, given Gunn is said to be cooking up a story that involves a fresh roster of DC anti-heroes not featured in David Ayer’s 2016 flop. So while Joel Kinnaman is unlikely to return as the gruff Rick Flagg, there is still room in James Gunn’s roster for Deadshot, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and the inimitable Harley Quinn.
Yes, it seems the Clown Princess of Crime will be suiting up for the 2021 sequel, after all…
There is, of course, a small chance that Warner Bros. will recast Harley Quinn in the same way it replaced Will Smith with the so-hot-right-now Idris Elba, but considering the impassioned fanbase that has gathered around Margot Robbie’s performance – not to mention her starring role in Birds of Prey – we can’t imagine WB will want to rock the boat. Besides, Robbie would be a difficult act to follow, so assuming the stars align and the Powers That Be can find room on her busy schedule, the actress will be a shoo-in for James Gunn’s continuation.
It’s been pitched as something of a fresh slate for Task Force X, which is all the more exciting when you consider James Gunn’s vast experience in the Marvel Cinematic Universe – two Guardians movies and a consultant role on Avengers: Infinity War makes for a pretty damn good résumé. So we can’t wait to see wait he brings to the DCEU.
The Suicide Squad makes a beeline for theaters on August 6th, 2021.
