Idris Elba reveals that he did not want to replace Will Smith as Deadshot when he signed on for The Suicide Squad. James Gunn’s follow-up to David Ayer’s 2016 film has officially hit theaters and HBO Max. A soft reboot of the original, The Suicide Squad blends a new cast of characters with some returning fan favorites. Though Ayer’s Suicide Squad was in many ways an ensemble film, Smith’s portrayal of Deadshot was arguably the lead of the affair. An expert sharpshooter and frequent foe of Batman (Ben Affleck), Floyd Lawton finds himself conscripted by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) and eventually rises to lead the Task Force X against Enchantress (Cara Delevigne).

Embodying the role of a reluctant hero, Smith imbued Deadshot with a sense of tragic sympathy as a man who wants his daughter to see him as more than a bad guy. Surviving the events of Suicide Squad, Smith’s Deadshot was teed up for a possible return alongside characters such as Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman). However, the succession of Smith choosing not to return and Elba being cast in an unknown role led to rumors that he would take over as Deadshot for the second movie, rumors that ended up being false.

Related: Suicide Squad 2: Every Character Who Didn't Return For The Sequel (& Why)

In a recent interview with ET, Elba addressed those rumors and admitted that he didn’t want to take over the role of Deadshot. He was happy that Gunn offered him the role of Bloodsport, an assassin who (like Deadshot) has a strained relationship with an estranged daughter. Elba's full comment can be read below:

Those rumors would be natural because Will said he wasn't joining the second movie, so it was quite natural for audiences or fans to think that I would be taking over the Deadshot character because the Deadshot character lived in the other movie. But I'm really satisfied that James didn't want to do that, I didn't want to do that. Deadshot is a great character and Will slays it, so I was really keen the audience and fans kept that rumor going.

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Though Elba did not end up taking over the role of Deadshot, the move to cast him as Bloodsport did happen in part due to Smith’s unavailability to return. In fact, in a recent interview with Screen Rant, The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran revealed that discussions to bring Deadshot back as team leader took place in the sequel’s development, but the move couldn’t be coordinated due to Smith’s schedule. As a result, Elba was cast, and Bloodsport entered the picture. However, as Elba noted, the plan was for Bloodsport to replace Deadshot as team leader, and not for Elba to replace Smith as Deadshot.

Though some Smith fans may miss Deadshot in The Suicide Squad, things probably worked out for the best. Bloodsport shares some similarities to Deadshot, but Elba’s portrayal of his character has its own unique flair that creates something different from what Smith and Ayer gave audiences in the previous film. Now, with two formidable assassin leaders for Task Force X lurking around the DCEU, the door remains open for Smith to potentially return and meet Elba’s Bloodsport in a future villain-focused DC filmThe Suicide Squad is currently in theaters and available to stream on HBO Max.

Next: How The Suicide Squad Kills The David Ayer Era

Source: ET

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