Last updated: May 13, 2021
James Gunn crossed over from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the DC Extended Universe as the director The Suicide Squad, and he brought a few Marvel actors with him. As the film approaches its release date in August, more information has come to light about the characters and who is playing them. Some of these faces are familiar because they're reprising their role from the original Suicide Squad, but others are familiar because of their previous roles in the MCU, particularly James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy movies.
The Suicide Squad cast members reprising their roles for Gunn's film include Margot Robbie, who will return as Harley Quinn after playing her in Bird of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn); Jai Courtney, who is back as Captain Boomerang; Joel Kinnaman will be present and accounted for as Rick Flagg; and last but not least, Viola Davis will be back as Amanda Waller. The newcomers to The Suicide Squad, which is deceptively billed as a reboot given the way it continues the cast from the last movie, are an interesting bunch.
Confirmed newbies are Idris Elba, David Dastmalchian, John Cena, Doctor Who's Peter Capaldi, and model Daniela Melchior, who will play the gender-flipped role of Ratcatcher. It was initially reported one of Gunn's go-to actors, Michael Rooker, would be playing King Shark, but that role went to Sylvester Stallone, with Rooker playing another character.
There are a healthy number of MCU actors confirmed for the movie. Let's take a look at which MCU stars will be showing up in The Suicide Squad and which actors may show up.
Idris Elba
Like Gunn, Idris Elba has been a part of the MCU for years now, but Elba's path has never crossed with Gunn's during their respective journeys in the MCU. Elba is known in the MCU for playing Heimdall in all three of the Thor solo films (Thor, Thor: The Dark World, and Thor: Ragnarok). Elba is also no stranger to other kinds of big genre films, having appeared in the past in films like The Dark Tower, Star Trek Beyond, and Pacific Rim.
Elba's experiences in sci-fi and fantasy film, as well as his specific experience in the world of comic book adaptations, like contributed to his casting in The Suicide Squad. News of Elba joining Gunn's Suicide Squad crew broke in March 2019. It was reported at the time Elba would be replacing Will Smith as Deadshot but that quickly changed and it was confirmed shortly thereafter Elba would be playing Robert DuBois (aka, Bloodsport), a contract killer.
Sylvester Stallone
A fun surprise came when it was revealed that Sylvester Stallone would be voicing the character of King Shark in The Suicide Squad. However, Stallone is no stranger to working with James Gunn. The actor starred in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord (aka, Starhawk), the leader of the Ravagers, space pirates. He had some beef with Yondu for breaking the code. As King Shark, however, Stallone won't actually appear onscreen (as the character will be CGI), but it's been revealed Gunn wrote the part with the actor in mind.
Taika Waititi
Taika Waititi is perhaps one of the most familiar faces to MCU fans, primarily known for directing Thor: Ragnarok and the upcoming Thor: Love and Thunder. However, Waititi is also an actor, notably voicing the role of Korg in the Thor movies and in Avengers: Endgame. He will be in The Suicide Squad, but his role is currently unknown. Popular speculation is that he's playing Starro, the film's villain, but that has yet to be confirmed.
Sean Gunn
James Gunn's brother, Sean Gunn has also spent a number of years in the MCU. He played Kraglin, Yondu's first mate, in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Gunn was also the on-set Rocket the Racoon, who was voiced by Bradley Cooper. He'll reprise his role as Kraglin in Thor: Love and Thunder, which is set for a 2022 release. In The Suicide Squad, Gunn is playing Weasel. Formerly known as James Monroe, a former professor, Weasel ultimately turned to a life of crime before he was a part of the squad.
David Dastmalchian
In April, actor David Dastmalchian was cast in The Suicide Squad. Dastmalchian will reportedly be playing Polka-Dot Man, a more colorful, camp DC Comics villain first introduced in 1962 and who has the ability to turns polka-dots into buzzsaws. Admittedly, Polka-Dot Man is more of a lower-tier Batman villain, making this news all the more interesting. Dastmalchian's character will be a new recruit to the Suicide Squad, so maybe the veteran team members can help turn Polka-Dot Man into a more rough, tough villain.
Dastmalchian is no stranger to the world of comic book movies, having most recently appeared in MCU films Ant-Man and Ant-Man & the Wasp as one of Scott Lang's literal partners-in-crime, Kurt. Dastmalchian has also racked up quite an interesting resume full of bit parts in popular genre films, appearing in hits like The Dark Knight, Blade Runner 2049, and Bird Box most recently. He's also recurred as Abra Kadabra in The Flash series.
Nathan Fillion
Nathan Fillion has, to no one's surprise, also worked with director James Gunn. While his MCU role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 was limited to a scene that was ultimately deleted in post-production, Fillion starred as Simon Williams. It was a cameo, but it counts. He obviously has a much bigger role in The Suicide Squad, with the actor playing T.D.K., a metahuman who can physically detach his arms from the rest of his body. Fillion, perhaps best known for his roles in the TV series Firefly and Castle, has also starred in several of Gunn's other films, including Super and Slither.
Michael Rooker
Michael Rooker will be playing Brian Durlin (aka, Savant) in The Suicide Squad, a computer hacker who blackmails people. However, the DC film is certainly not Rooker's first or second time working with Gunn. The actor was previously in the MCU, playing Yondu Udonta, a leader of a Ravager group, in Guardians of the Galaxy and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Yondu found Peter Quill and raised him to be a Ravager. The pair had their squabbles, though Yondu ultimately sacrificed himself to save Quill in Vol. 2. In The Suicide Squad, Rooker will be reunited with Stallone, as well as Sean Gunn.
