Caffeinated Clint
“Total reboot”?
While the studio and producing committee seem determined to let the press know that their upcoming “The Suicide Squad” is a go-from-scratch redo, thrice removed from the not-so-wonderfully received 2016 version of the DC comic series, WB and friends are also leaving punters with a good old case of head-scratcharoo by retaining the services of some of the cast from the earlier movie.
While Will Smith knocked back the opportunity to reprise his Deadshot for the film (fact is though, they did ask him!), leaving Idris Elba to pick up the patch, the Burbank bunch are picking up the option on some of his co-stars. Margot Robbie is reprising her Harley Quinn for the James Gunn directed picture (and fair enough, she was the best thing to come out of the picture), and now, straight from the horse’s mouth, Jai Courtney will be back as Captain Boomerang for the reboot-remake-sequel-spin-off hybrid.
“We’re getting ready to shoot in a few months’ time,” the “Terminator Genisys” actor tells Business Insider. “There’s not much else I can reveal about it but yes, you’ll be seeing Boomerang back for sure. I’m happy, it’s going to be fun. It will be different, for sure, but it’s going to be great.”
In addition to the pink unicorn-obsessed super-villain, “Suicide Squad” featured Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flagg, Adewale Akinnoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc, Karen Fukuhara’s Katana and Jay Hernandez’s Diablo. While not a part of the anti-hero line-up, Jared Leto’s The Joker was also a fixture of the flick; word is Leto won’t be back to wear the clown tattoos anytime soon, so don’t expect a Joker cameo in Gunn’s flick.
It’ll be interesting to see whether any more original players get a SMS from Warner Bros requesting a meeting. And if they do, our brains will have an even greater chance of being sponsored by Aeroplane Jelly.
The new film, which Gunn is also scripting, is said to be fixing largely on characters not seen in David Ayer’s 2016 film. The line-up is said to include Ratcatcher (aka Otis Flannegan), Nanaue (King Shark), Polka-Dot Man (aka Mister Polka Dot), and Peacemaker (aka Christopher Smith).
Word on the glitzy footpath is that Dave Bautista is Gunn’s pick for the role of Peacemaker. If that comes off, the duo will shoot two flicks back-to-back together – “Suicide Squad” and the third “Guardians of the Galaxy”, which Gunn is now back on.
Gunn is scripting from scratch, but when Gavin O’Connor was onboard (to write and direct) he and Adam Cozard hatched a story that involved the original troupe rescuing Amanda Waller from the Joker. O’Connor wanted Andrew Garfield for the role of Ted Garrison (aka The Shade) and Emma Stone for Poison Ivy.
“The Suicide Squad” hits theaters August 6, 2021.
