The Suicide Squad isn’t a sequel, but it’s not a full reboot either. We take a look at how it fits into the DCEU, what’s new, and what’s stayed the same!
Heads up! If you like surprises, they’re going to be more spoiled than Daddy’s Lil Monster!
The Suicide Squad trailer
Is The Suicide Squad a sequel?
No. Well, er, not exactly.
The truth is that there’s been a bit of confusion about whether The Suicide Squad is a remake, reboot, or sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad. And, unhelpfully, it’s none of the above.
The Suicide Squad definitely isn’t a sequel. But, it will feature a lot of the same characters from Suicide Squad. But, those characters won’t clearly be linked to Suicide Squad and be all like, ‘Hey, remember that time Enchantress created a tornado of wreckage…’
The best way to see it is like if James Gunn also took a crack at making the first film. What would he have done with it? That’s The Suicide Squad.
Where does The Suicide Squad fit into the DCEU?
Image credit: DC/Warner Bros. via Collider
OK, so, to properly answer this question, it’s best to start out by mentioning that DC isn’t that committed to the idea of a fully interconnected universe, despite the fact that DCEU stands for DC Extended Universe.
Obviously, Marvel has had a lot of success with the MCU. And, because of that, DC wanted the same thing. That’s why Man of Steel led to Batman v Superman led to Justice League. And, along the way, other characters like Wonder Woman and Aquaman have had stories that kind of tied into the big picture.
But, it wasn’t MCU level.
Wonder Woman and Aquaman, plus their sequels, largely stand alone. The same can be said for Shazam and its upcoming sequel. Plus, Justice League didn’t make a big enough impact at the box office for DC to be fully committed to an interconnected universe.
That, plus Suicide Squad’s mixed reviews, meant that it didn’t demand a full sequel. Instead, James Gunn has been given a clean slate of sorts to create his vision of the Suicide Squad without having to fit into other directors’ ideas from their respective films.
So, long story short, The Suicide Squad doesn’t necessarily fit into the DCEU at all. Sure it may give a nod here and there to things that have happened in the whole saga, but it isn’t a key piece of the whole puzzle.
Is The Suicide Squad cast the same?
Image credit: DC/Warner Bros. via the Direct
The cast, and even the characters in the squad, won’t be the same as Suicide Squad. That being said, you’ll see some continuity of actors and characters.
Margot Robbie, for example, will be back as Harley Quinn, now playing the character for the third time. But, she won’t be joined by any of the Birds of Prey.
We’ll also see agent Amanda Waller again, still played by Viola Davis. The long-suffering Rick Flag, who has the unenviable task of babysitting the squad, will again be played by Joel Kinnaman. And, making a welcome comeback is the baddest man to ever cause carnage with a boomerang – Captain Boomerang, again played by Jai Courtney.
Despite being in the final scenes of Zack Snyder’s cut of Justice League, the Joker won’t be making an appearance. And, Will Smith won’t be back as Deadshot.
As for El Diablo, Killer Croc, Enchantress, Katana, and Slipknot? Nothing’s been mentioned as of yet so we’re not sure. Though, there have been whispers that there may be a few surprise appearances, so we won’t rule them out.
But, next to Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, and Captain Boomerang, who makes up the new Task Force X? That’s an easy one. Deep breath…
It’s John Cena as Peacemaker, Sylvester Stallone as King Shark, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, David Dastmalchian as Polka Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Micheal Rooker as Savant, Mayling Ng as Mongal, Sean Gunn as Weasel, the hilarious Pete Davidson as Blackguard (real name Dick Hertz, so, yeah), Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Flula Borg as Javelin, and Nathan Fillion as T.D.K.
Who is the villain in The Suicide Squad?
Image credit: DC/Warner Bros. via Screenrant
So, if you’re putting together a huge team of villains, who could be the big, scary threat that they have to face? What could be so terrifying that the good guys are simply ill-equipped to take it down? A starfish, obviously.
OK, so, it’s not really a starfish. But, it is a starfish-inspired alien being named Starro. Aside from having the power to attach itself to the sides of boats (we’re just guessing), Starro also has mind-control powers. Now it has a shot at a heap of already twisted minds… hmmm, what could go wrong?
The Suicide Squad plot
Image credit: DC/Warner Bros. via Blazing Minds
Without getting into the nitty gritty details (which we totally don’t know because we weirdly weren’t invited to the creative meetings at WB), the plot looks to be classic Suicide Squad. Some sort of world-threatening event happens, the good guys’ lives are too valuable, so the baddies are given the option (read: blackmailed or bribed) to save the world.
Granted, this time they’re taking on a mind-controlling starfish instead of a mind-warping witch. But, it’s a similar principle to the first Suicide Squad.
So, what makes this new version necessary?
Well, two words: James Gunn.
The director of Guardians of the Galaxy has brought his bright colours and dirty jokes over to DC for a slap in the face of fresh air. This time, Task Force X isn’t going to be all doom and gloom. There’s going to be more squabbling than a dysfunctional family on a road trip and it’ll be packed full of tongue in cheek jokes.
Plus, there’s the action. Expect way more of a spectacle than the first movie. At the DC FanDome, James Gunn said it would have more explosions than any movie ever. So, it’s basically like washing down a mouthful of pop rocks with fizzy drink… but then also filled with crazy characters.
The Suicide Squad release date UK
The Suicide Squad will hit UK cinemas on the 30th of July 2021.
Main image credit: DC/Warner Bros. via HealthFN
