According to director James Gunn, The Suicide Squad's title was initially a joke. Gunn was brought in to write the script for DC's latest attempt at bringing the Suicide Squad to the big screen in 2018, and not long after he officially signed on to direct as well. Fans are largely excited for his take on the DC Comics team, especially since the previous Suicide Squad wasn't received well. David Ayer directed that film, though recently it has become more apparent that Ayer's vision was affected by Warner Bros.' influence. Nonetheless, the studio is eager to move on with Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which is neither a complete reboot nor a direct sequel.

Much of The Suicide Squad remains shrouded in secrecy, but fans are already well aware of its large cast. A handful of actors are returning from the first Suicide Squad, including Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis. However, the list of newcomers stretches even further, as The Suicide Squad will welcome actors such as Idris Elba, John Cena, Peter Capaldi, Taika Waititi, Nathan Fillion, and Pete Davidson. Most of their characters haven't been revealed yet, though Gunn has teased that not many will survive.

Related: James Gunn Supports Releasing the Ayer Cut Before His Suicide Squad Sequel

During Gunn's latest Instagram Q&A session, Gunn revealed the origins of The Suicide Squad's title. Some have wondered why his film is called that, seeing as it doesn't do much to differentiate itself from the 2016 Suicide Squad. "I brought it up kiddingly once and Warners and the producers liked it," Gunn explained. "There's not much chance of it changing, but you never know."

James Gunn discussing The Suicide Squad title on Instagram

It does make sense that Gunn's film isn't called Suicide Squad 2 because it isn't supposed to be a real continuation from Ayer's movie. By this point, most fans are familiar with the fact that The Suicide Squad is Gunn's, and that it's separate from what came before. As Gunn said, it's unlikely to change at this point, though whether it does will be revealed whenever the promotional materials start rolling out. Gunn recently said those are being delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, The Suicide Squad is currently slated for August 2021, so it will likely be a while before they are released.

It's clear fans are eager for every bit of information they can get about The Suicide Squad, but Gunn has been very tight-lipped about what's to come. He won't even divulge the movie's rating, though many suspect it could be rated R. Of course, until Gunn confirms it, everything is just speculation. Hopefully Gunn will reveal more about The Suicide Squad soon. Maybe he'll finally tease more about the plot? Only time will tell.

More: Everything The Suicide Squad Needs To Change About The Original

Source: James Gunn/Instagram

Key Release Dates