Scheduling issues mean that Will Smith's Deadshot will not be in James Gunn's Suicide Squad 2.
Scheduling issues mean that Will Smith's Deadshot will not be in James Gunn's Suicide Squad 2.
When it was first announced, DC fans were stoked that Suicide Squad was getting the big screen treatment. They were more than ready to see some of their favorite characters -- in particular the iconic Harley Quinn -- made larger than life.
Unfortunately what they got was a narrative mess that spent way too much time setting up characters with boring exposition instead of allowing them to develop onscreen. The bones of a good thing was there, but a weak villain and incoherent plot cut it off at the knees.
Still, fans were willing to give Suicide Squad a shot, leading to a $746.8 million at the box office. However, the 27% rating on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit more indicative of the film's overall quality. Even the most diehard DC fan had to admit that the film had some major issues.
Even so, the robust box office numbers guaranteed a sequel. While fans let out a frustrated groan, there was still a kernel of hope that this whole thing could be turned around.
The DC universe has found new life with the creative and critical successes of Wonder Woman and Aquaman. Their superheroes may not look exactly like the super white, square-jawed familiarity of Batman and Superman, but the diversity that's taking center stage is a real breath of fresh air.
In the sequel, writer and possible director James Gunn will be taking the oddball charm that he brought to Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy to a rebooted Suicide Squad. At this point, it's unclear which of the old antiheroes will return and who could be taking their places.
The only concrete bit of casting news is that Will Smith will not be returning for the sequel, which is a shame because his performance was one of the highlights of the first film. His departure from the franchise is apparently amicable; it was never concrete that he would return and a scheduling conflict ruled out his inclusion.
With Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn getting her own spinoff film with Birds of Prey, it's hard to imagine her not being included in Suicide Squad as well. Here's hoping Jared Leto's Joker doesn't make the cut. That performance was just one "Damaged" tattoo too many.
However, the world needs more Captain Boomerang. Make it happen, DC.
Perhaps the biggest request is to... just, make it good? Style over substance is a common thing in action flicks, but there is so much potential here. DC fans are willing to be burned again, but let's give them something worth a damn instead.