The Suicide Squad's Idris Elba is proud of Bloodsport for shooting Superman. James Gunn's updated, irreverent take on DC Comics' Task Force X bowed in cinemas and on HBO Max on August 5, blowing up the superhero genre and becoming an immediate recipient of rave reviews. The Suicide Squad assembles a new team of superpowered convicts, along with some returning faces from David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad, and follows them through their adventures on the South American island of Corto Maltese. Their mission sees them dispatched to destroy a Nazi-era prison under the watchful eye Amanda Waller (Viola Davis). The Suicide Squad marked the best R-rated opening for any movie since the start of the pandemic, yet's its overall box office was one of the lowest for DCEU, and for that, the outbreak of the Delta variant of the COVID-19 is much to blame.
Although The Suicide Squad featured multiple team-ups over the course of its 132 minute runtime, the primary Task Force X was led by Idris Elba's Robert DuBois / Bloodsport, a mercenary with a technologically developed suit that he uses to manifest various gadgets and weapons. Initially, Elba's Bloodsport is skeptical about leading the team to Corto Maltese. But while other members take up the mission to get parole, Bloodsport only agrees to join the squad to protect his daughter Tyla after being manipulated by Waller. Before Waller selects Bloodsport for the team, she confides in her employees why she chose him to be the leader, which is in part because he put Superman in the hospital after shooting him with a Kryptonite bullet.
While appearing on an upcoming episode of DESUS & MERO on SHOWTIME, Elba referred to Bloodsport as someone "who's sort of in the vaults of the DC Universe," and the only reason why he's known is because he sent Superman to the hospital. Elba later added that although he loves Superman, he is really proud of Bloodsport for being the badass who shot the mighty superhero. Read what he said below:
"Bloodsport is one of these characters who's sort of in the vaults of the DC Universe. He's famous only because he's the only guy to have put Superman in a hospital, and he is in jail for it when you meet him in the movie. Uhh, you know, call me sick, but I'm kinda proud of that."
Elba's fondness for his character's backstory has been largely evident of late. In a recent interview, the Luther actor said that he wasn't interested in seeing what's next for Bloodsport, rather he wants a prequel that showcases his conflict with Superman and fully delves into the story behind the character's aggression against the superhero. Interestingly, such a project may not actually be as far off as one may think, as Gunn has said he wants to stick around and tell more tales centered on DC villains. A Peacemaker spin-off based on John Cena's character from the film has already been ordered to series at HBO Max and there are also some ideas for a sequel film on the table.
As the most seasoned comics junkies might know, The Suicide Squad's reference to Bloodsport's backstory is intended as a homage to the character's arc from the 1987’s Superman #4 issue. Although Bloodsport's actions were mostly influenced by Lex Luthor, he still managed to spell some major trouble for the Man of Steel, proving himself as the formidable foil that probably no one expected him to be. It therefore makes sense for Elba to take pride in his character's history. What's even more interesting is that Elba doesn't think of Bloodsport to be a one-off. Rather, he is fully invested in exploring Bloodsport's origins, and hopefully, this interest on his part can materialize in a dedicated venture for the supervillain.
Source: DESUS & MERO on SHOWTIME
