The Suicide Squad features a pretty eclectic cast of lesser-known characters, which apparently confused DC a bit when James Gunn first pitched the film. The reboot following David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad sees the return of a number of stars – including Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller – while also adding a host of new faces to the mix. The Suicide Squad is scheduled for release on August 6.
The new characters added to Task Force X in The Suicide Squad aren’t exactly the most recognizable players on DC’s roster. Names like Weasel (Sean Gunn), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), Savant (Michael Rooker), and Floyd Belkin (Nathan Fillion) are far from the a-list, which is probably part of why Gunn chose them. Just like how Guardians of the Galaxy popularized some of the stranger corners of Marvel’s universe, The Suicide Squad can introduce some fun new characters to the DCEU.
The inclusion of so many minor characters did apparently raise some eyebrows, however. When asked by a fan on Twitter if there were any characters DC didn’t allow in the film, James Gunn replied that he got everyone he wanted, but that there was a bit of confusion at a few of his choices. “I got every character I asked for, even though sometimes they were like WTF?” Gunn wrote, in reference to DC.
Even in a more comedic, ensemble-driven film like The Suicide Squad, filling the cast with unknown characters is a bit of risk for such a major franchise. Some of the characters in question never really caught on in the comics, and a few were even written as jokes. Fillion’s Floyd Belkin/TDK, for instance, was first introduced as a bumbling wannabe hero whose powers made his arms fall off. That’s not quite the kind of superpower most writers would build a blockbuster around.
So far though, The Suicide Squad looks incredibly strong. Part of the appeal of using lesser-known characters is that they can be changed more easily, and the film’s ensemble looks to have a fun dynamic in the trailer footage. The cast itself is loaded with big names as well, with even the more ancillary characters being played by pretty big-name actors. With luck, all that talent will translate into a stellar film that can keep the DCEU’s positive momentum rolling. The Suicide Squad releases on August 6, in theaters and on HBO Max.
Source: James Gunn
