James Gunn explains why only four characters from the 2016 film return in The Suicide Squad. Arriving in theaters and on HBO Max this week, The Suicide Squad is James Gunn’s quasi-sequel/reboot to 2016’s article-free Suicide Squad from director David Ayer. The relationship between the two films is tricky since, other than returning a few characters, Gunn’s version will not address its predecessor in any tangible way, or other DCEU films like Birds of Prey for that matter.
The returning characters include Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) as part of Task Force X and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) as their ruthless leader. Gunn would be remiss though if he did not introduce new characters, such as Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) who have already generated plenty of buzz. While the 2016 Suicide Squad followed Task Force X on their quest to eliminate Enchantress, they will embark on an all-new mission this time around as they are tasked with destroying a Nazi-era lab but encounter a giant alien starfish.
Now, The Suicide Squad writer/director James Gunn decided to take some time on a flight to answer some questions from fans on Instagram. One fan asked why he decided to only use four characters from the first movie (Harley Quinn, Rick Flag, Captain Boomerang, and Amanda Waller). Gunn answered the question simply, saying “They were the ones who fit best into this story.” Check out the interaction below:
Gunn seemingly wanted Will Smith’s Deadshot back as well, though he was unable to return due to scheduling conflicts, and appears to have been replaced by Idris Elba’s Bloodsport. The fan-favorite Harley Quinn seemed like a no-brainer since Margot Robbie is currently one of the most well-known faces in the DCEU. Amanda Waller also seemed necessary to bring back as she is the well-established leader of the DC supervillain team. Rick Flag also seemed irreplaceable as the Suicide Squad’s leader in the field.
Other than choosing the characters best suited for his story, Gunn also seems to have chosen the more well-received characters from a film that was panned by critics overall. This meant excluding characters like the Joker, whose portrayal by Jared Leto garnered mixed reception, to put it mildly. Fans may have wanted some of these characters from the previous film to return, but Gunn's reinvention of Task Force X allowed his film to feel fresh, letting new characters like Peacemaker and Bloodsport take the spotlight. This decision seems to be paying dividends, as early reviews are praising The Suicide Squad for drastically improving upon the original.
Source: James Gunn/Instagram
