The Suicide Squad writer/director, James Gunn, doesn’t know if Idris Elba’s Bloodsport shot Henry Cavill’s Superman or somebody else. Best known for helming the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, Gunn is set to debut his first DC Extended Universe outing in the spiritual reboot, The Suicide Squad. Several characters are returning from David Ayer’s 2016 film as it focuses on a team of anti-heroes coerced into working for the “good guys.” Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and other returning members of the squad will be joined by newcomers including John Cena’s Peacemaker and Elba’s Robert DuBois, a.k.a. Bloodsport.
In anticipation for its August release on HBO Max, The Suicide Squad's final trailer recently surfaced online, giving fans a better look at these newcomers beginning with Elba’s character and his daughter, Tyla DuBois, whose criminal record seems to be Bloodsport’s motivation to work for Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller. Opening with an introduction to Bloodsport’s history, the trailer explains Waller’s interest in him ever since he was incarcerated for putting Superman in the ICU with a kryptonite bullet—something that has carried over from the comics and has been previously confirmed by Gunn. While Gunn has confirmed that the Man of Steel did indeed survive his confrontation with Bloodsport, fans shouldn’t expect a cameo from Cavill.
In an exclusive trailer breakdown with IGN, Gunn spoke on Bloodsport’s introduction. The director clarified that while his movie does take place within the DCEU and Elba’s character did shoot Superman, he’s not sure which Superman. Check out what he had to say below:
Bloodsport is in prison for putting Superman in the ICU with a kryptonite bullet. Yes, The Suicide Squad is a part of the DCEU, but I don’t know which Superman it was because I don’t cast the next Superman. So, it could be Henry. It could be somebody else. It’s whoever people decide upon other than me.
In the comics, DuBois has a mental breakdown after his brother returns home severely injured by the Vietnam War. Lex Luthor ends up manipulating DuBois into believing Superman is his enemy; therefore, as Bloodsport equipped with Kryptonite bullets, DuBois faces off with Superman—which leads to Bloodsport’s arrest. Seeing as The Suicide Squad is part of the DCEU’s main continuity, this could have something to do with how Luthor knew Superman’s weakness in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, or, considering Warner Bros’ track record for abandoning narrative blueprints like the SnyderVerse, maybe audiences shouldn’t take in-universe references too seriously.
Following the lackluster reception of 2017’s Justice League and all the drama surrounding the Snyder Cut, Cavill’s future as Superman is up in the air. Fans have waited for a follow-up up solo feature to Man of Steel since 2013, and now it seems like they will be getting a new red cape via the J.J. Abrams-produced Superman movie. On top of that, Sasha Calle's 2022 debut as Supergirl in The Flash seems geared towards making audiences forget about Cavill. Whether The Suicide Squad’s Superman reference ties into future films remains to be seen; however, given Gunn’s comments, it should be taken at face value.
Source: IGN
