Suicide Squad 2 (Will Smith Will Not Return As Deadshot)

Gavin O’Connor is on board to write the sequel to “Suicide Squad,” and is also in talks to direct the film that stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto.

The movie is a top priority at Warner Bros. and looks to be one of the two DC properties (the other being New Line’s “Shazam!”) to begin production this year. Given the ensemble’s busy schedule, the shoot wasn’t expected to start until fall of 2017. So while there’s still time, the studio is eager to get someone on board to pen a script.

Following the news that David Ayer, who directed the first movie, would not be back, the open directing job has been one of the biz’s most highly-touted gigs.

Ayer directed the last supervillain tentpole, which was a huge hit for Warners — despite earning negative reviews — bringing in more then $745 million worldwide.

O’Connor was already on a shortlist that included filmmakers Jaume Collet-Serra and Mel Gibson, both of whom were considered the studio’s prime targets before they decided to tackle other projects. O’Connor has always seemed like a logical choice, given his history with the studio. He most recently directed the action-drama “The Accountant,” which Warner Bros. is already developing a sequel for. O’Connor is set to return to direct and Ben Affleck will be back to star.

UltimateMarvel wrote:The Accountant was pretty good but this is Suicide Squad we're talking about. Directing this film is suicidal. lol I guess he loves a challenge.

Tyger wrote:He can do better.

WyldeMan wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:The Accountant was pretty good but this is Suicide Squad we're talking about. Directing this film is suicidal. lol I guess he loves a challenge.

The Accountant wasn't Gavin O'Connor's first film, he also directed Pride and Glory, Warrior, Miracle, Jane Got a Gun and a few others. He's a very talented guy who's been making movies for two decades.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Oh shit! Faith restored! I didn't know he directed Warrior.

There's are a few new faces joining the Suicide Squad crew.

David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick are co-writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel alongside director Gavin O'Connor, sources confirm to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is a followup to the 2016 DC hit that starred Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto and was directed by David Ayer.

Katz is known for his Black List script The Man in the Rockefeller Suit, and has multiple features in development, including Chasing Phil with Robert Downey Jr.'s Team Downey and Warner Bros. He also has comic book experience, performing a rewrite on New Line's Spawn as well as penning the play The History of Invulnerability, which is about the creation of Superman. He also penned a Jason Bateman comedy for Universal about two undercover FBI agents.

Stashwick comes from the acting world and has worked on Fox's Batman prequel Gotham, as well as SyFy's 12 Monkeys. He recently revealed he was working on the Suicide Squad 2 script and describes himself as a lifelong DC fan.

Warner Bros. is eager to move forward with a sequel to Suicide Squad, which may have struggled with critics, but earned $746 million worldwide. Legend of Tarzan's Adam Cozad had previously worked on a script to the sequel. Warner Bros. has multiple projects at various stages of development in the works with Suicide Squad characters, including several that could star Robbie's Harley Quinn and Leto's Joker. No release dates have been set for any of them.

UltimateMarvel wrote:Neither did I. Good for him.

They're actually going forward with this. Full steam ahead with a SS2 and Joker movie. There is no stopping WB. lol I would have waited to see how Aquaman is received. If that's successful, then you move with a MOS2, a Batman solo movie and WW2. Nobody is even touching Flash right now because they're too scared, as they should be.

WyldeMan wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:Neither did I. Good for him.

They're actually going forward with this. Full steam ahead with a SS2 and Joker movie. There is no stopping WB. lol I would have waited to see how Aquaman is received. If that's successful, then you move with a MOS2, a Batman solo movie and WW2. Nobody is even touching Flash right now because they're too scared, as they should be.

I think Aquaman will be a bomb. I was hyped for it about three years ago but I could care less at this point.

Batman vs Superman killed all my interest in the current franchises and because of it, I haven't seen Wonder Woman or Justice League. I think I saw Suicide Squad but it made such a little impression, I can't even remember....

UltimateMarvel wrote:If anything deserves to be watched, it's Wonder Woman. I think you should give it a chance.

WyldeMan wrote:

UltimateMarvel wrote:If anything deserves to be watched, it's Wonder Woman. I think you should give it a chance.

Will Smith Will Not Return As Deadshot In James Gunn’s ‘Suicide Squad 2’

Even with the studio dating the next installment in the “Suicide Squad” franchise, Warner Bros. may already be losing one of the film’s biggest stars.

Even though his return had not been made official, sources tell Variety that Will Smith, who played Deadshot in the original, is not expected to return for the studio’s upcoming sequel. Sources say scheduling was the ultimate factor and that the decision was made on amicable terms between both sides with no hard feelings.

Though the studio has never confirmed who would be returning for “The Suicide Squad,” insiders say the studio has always wanted its biggest stars like Smith and Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn in the first pic, to return while figuring out other casting decisions along the way.

The studio and reps for Will Smith could not be reached for comment.

The studio is still fully behind the sequel after the original did so well, bringing in $746 million at the box office.

James Gunn, who was brought on last year as the new writer and director, is hoping to start production this fall, which adds a ticking clock element to getting things out before it impacts pre-production.

The release date is currently set for Aug. 6, 2021.

UltimateMarvel wrote:I only want Margo and Viola to return, everyone else can go. Will was not the right choice from the beginning.

WyldeMan wrote:They should swap him out for Manganiello's Deathstroke.

Tyger wrote:The Suicide Squad isn’t a constant team anyway, it’s funny how scheduling issues will actually make it slightly truer to the source material

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:They should swap him out for Manganiello's Deathstroke.

As awesome as that would be, was Deathstroke ever part of the Suicide Squad? I'm not even sure if he's still playing the character.

Tyger wrote:The Suicide Squad isn’t a constant team anyway, it’s funny how scheduling issues will actually make it slightly truer to the source material

This is true. lol

WyldeMan wrote:Has source material ever mattered to Hollywood?

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:Has source material ever mattered to Hollywood?

Also true. I just want Amanda Waller to be in it, then you can include any kind of team working for her.

WyldeMan wrote:

With James Gunn directing, I wonder how long before his brother and Michael Rooker are announced.

Rusty wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:

With James Gunn directing, I wonder how long before his brother and Michael Rooker are announced.

Speaking of ... he popped up in the final episode of True Detective.

WyldeMan wrote:

Rusty wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:

With James Gunn directing, I wonder how long before his brother and Michael Rooker are announced.

Speaking of ... he popped up in the final episode of True Detective.

What??? Random.....

WyldeMan wrote:

Rusty wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:

With James Gunn directing, I wonder how long before his brother and Michael Rooker are announced.

Speaking of ... he popped up in the final episode of True Detective.

What??? Random.....

UltimateMarvel wrote:

WyldeMan wrote:What??? Random.....

Yeah, I was surprised. Aren't you gonna check it out? The season is done.

joey con carne wrote:They can get Idris Elba to play an older, wiser Deadshot because in this next one they gotta cats in the apocalypse.

Tyger wrote:WTF Joey

joey con carne wrote:Aww sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet

Can I get a "what what"?

Though the next installment in the “Suicide Squad” franchise is moving full-steam ahead with the addition of Idris Elba to the team, the movie will now move forward without one of its main characters.

Though it was previously reported that Elba would be replacing Will Smith as Deadshot in the new pic, sources now tell Variety that all parties including director James Gunn have decided to move on from the Deadshot character, with Elba playing a new character in “The Suicide Squad.”

Warner Bros. had no comment on the decision.

It is unknown what character Elba would now be playing, but after taking the last few weeks to discuss, everyone involved felt this was the right move. The team also did not want to feel as if it was disrespecting Smith, who helped bring this character to life for the first time, by replacing him with Elba. While many believe chances are still slim for a future return, the decision keeps the door open for Smith to possibly come back in future films, since his original reason for leaving had to do with scheduling and not creative differences.

Variety first reported in February that Smith would not be appearing in the next film and Warner Bros. and Gunn moved instantly to add Elba to the team after the director and actor sat down days after Smith’s departure. The meeting went so well that Elba agreed on the spot to join the next installment, but even at that time it was not set in stone whether he’d be playing Deadshot or a brand new member of the team.

With this decision, it looks like the only three characters expected to return are Harley Quinn with Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang, and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller. Gunn is in the process of casting the remaining team members with production expected to start in the fall. The film is scheduled to bow on Aug. 6, 2021.

The original “Suicide Squad” — starring Smith, Jared Leto and Robbie — became a massive box office sensation when it hit theaters in 2016, grossing $746 million worldwide.

In a bit of a surprise Friday news drop, writer/director James Gunn has revealed the full The Suicide Squad cast for his upcoming sequel. It includes already reported returning cast members like Margot Robbie and Joel Kinnaman alongside newly revealed newcomers, like Gunn staple Michael Rooker.

The full Suicide Squad cast is as follows:

Margot Robbie

Idris Elba

Viola Davis

Michael Rooker

Joel Kinnaman

Jai Courtney

John Cena

Nathan Fillion

David Dastmalchian

Taika Waititi

Alice Braga

Sean Gunn

Storm Reid

Pete Davidson

Flula Borg

Peter Capaldi

Joaquín Cosío

Mayling Ng

Juan Diego Botto

Steve Agee

Tinashe Kajese

Daniela Melchior

Julio Ruis

Jennifer Holland

Gunn cautions not to get too attached, so many of these roles will likely be nothing more than glorified cameos (remember Slipknot?). Character information remains under wraps, but Elba originally signed on to replace Will Smith as Deadshot before Gunn and Warner Bros. changed tactics. Now, Elba is playing an unnamed different character. We also know that David Dastmalchian is playing Polka Dot Man and Daniela Melchior is playing a gender-flipped version of the character Ratcatcher. Rooker is, of course, a bit of a good luck charm for Gunn having appeared in Slither and both Guardians of the Galaxy movies.

And we now have confirmation that actors who won’t be returning from the first Suicide Squad are Smith (Deadshot), Jay Hernandez (Diablo), Karen Fukuhara (Katana), Adewale Akinnuoye Agbaje (Killer Croc), Scott Eastwood (GQ), Ike Barinholtz (Griggs), and of course Jared Leto (Joker).

The Suicide Squad isn’t a complete reboot of the franchise, but Gunn is taking the series in his own direction. David Ayer directed the first Suicide Squad, which hit theaters in 2016 to scathing reviews and an impressive box office of $746.8 million worldwide. Warner Bros. went to a number of directors for this sequel, including J.A. Bayona and Gavin O’Connor, but those deals never worked out. Fortunately, they snatched up Gunn during his brief separation from Marvel Studios, although Gunn will return to the Marvel fold after Suicide Squad to wrap up his Guardians trilogy.

Filming on The Suicide Squad begins in Atlanta on September 23rd. Check out Gunn’s tweet with the full cast below, which also includes the snazzy logo for the film.