Warner Bros. Announces ‘Suicide Squad’ Cast!
According to Newsarama, Warner Bros. has just announced the cast of Suicide Squad, the next entry in their line-up of DC movies after Batman v. Superman.
Ladies and gentlemen, introducing the Suicide Squad:
Jared Leto as The Joker
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn
Will Smith as Deadshot
Tom Hardy as Rick Flag
Jai Courtney as Boomerang
Cara Delevingne as Enchantress
What a hell of a cast! If you’ve been following the rumors this list isn’t a surprise at all, rather it’s the accuracy of those rumors that have been raising eyebrows.
From Newsarama:
The movie will begin shooting in April 2015 in Toronto, and is the second film on the WB/DC mega-docket announced in October, following Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.
“We look forward to seeing this terrific ensemble, under David Ayer’s amazing guidance, give new meaning to what it means to be a villain and what it means to be a hero,” said WB President Greg Silverman.
Ayer has previously said the film will go by the credo, “Does a movie really need good guys?”
It is not yet known who will be playing Amanda Waller, the government liaison and shot-caller of the squad. Jesse Eisenberg, who is portraying Superman villain Lex Luthor in Batman v. Superman, is also rumored to be involved with Suicide Squad in some capacity, but how much or even if at all is unknown.
Let’s get the big reveal out of the way: Jared Leto as The Joker. First, The Joker has never really been a regular on the Suicide Squad roster all that much in the comics, so his involvement with the movie is definitely Warner Bros.’/DC’s way of getting him to eventually cross with Batman. There is no question.
As great as the Oscar-winning performance Heath Ledger was when he was the Clown Prince back in 2008, that’s his performance. One actor alone cannot define a character. I always rolled my eyes when fanboys shouted that the Joker should be retired from film. Keeping other artists from contributing to the life of a character, that’s dumb. I can’t say I’m a fan of Jared Leto, but seeing how The Joker character has brought out some of the best performances from great actors in the last few decades, I look forward to seeing how Jared Leto fares.
The other big news: Will Smith as Deadshot! That’s a great choice. Yeah, he has a weird family, but that shouldn’t have any bearing on him as a performer. Furthermore, it will be interesting how he plays a cold-hearted killer when for years he’s been known as America’s best friend. The guy who wore hot pink shirts and rapped (with PG-friendly lyrics) about partying in Miami will play the deadliest assassin in comic books. I can’t wait to see him. Also, there are some very close-minded comic fans who come out every so often deriding racial casting changes of their favorite characters. So far, I haven’t heard a single peep about Will Smith as Deadshot. Why so quiet, bigots?
The rest of the cast range from solid to fascinating. Tom Hardy, playing his second DC villain, is on the verge of a cultural comeback. I love Tom Hardy as an actor, and I know it has only been two years since The Dark Knight Rises but his momentum as a Hollywood star slowed somewhat after that. He only had one movie, the critically-acclaimed Locke, in 2013 and The Drop this year. But with a slew of new movies coming up, among them Mad Max: Fury Road and now Suicide Squad, your girlfriend (or boyfriend!) will be going back to the theater more.
Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn will have an interesting shoe to fill. While Harley has never been in a movie before, she is so beloved by fans. From her debut in Batman: The Animated Series to the critically-acclaimed Batman: Arkham City, fans can’t wait to see The Joker’s paramour on screen. But with no previous shadow to step out of (unlike Leto), Robbie has a chance to cement her own legacy. She might actually be the one thing I’m looking forward to the most from this movie.
David Ayer will be helming this Expendables-esque blockbuster of super baddies and will be in theaters August 6, 2016.
How do you guys feel about the cast of Suicide Squad? Honestly, it’s still hard for me to believe a DC Universe movie series is really happening.
