The DC Extended Universe is going to be seeing a lot more releases in the coming years, with 2021 marking where things will really pick up speed. Among those happens to be James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, a soft reboot/sequel of the 2016 film. Most of the cast will be new arrivals, while a handful will be making their returns.
Since Gunn is going to be changing things up, we want to bring to your notice to certain films starring the cast members that prove they are up to the task to make The Suicide Squad an enjoyable watch. We’ve also explained why exactly these performances need to be seen, so read on further before setting up your binge-watch.
Idris Elba - The Dark Tower (2017)
Originally believed to be taking over the role of Deadshot from Will Smith, Idris is now meant to be playing a new character altogether. If you want to know of his mettle as a leading action star, then here’s a horror-action film where Idris was the leading man.
Set in the same universe as other Stephen King works, The Dark Tower is a western shooter where the lead character has to protect the titular tower - which is said to control all realities of the universe - from his arch-nemesis. It has Elba at his best as a no-nonsense gunslinger, something we might just see James Gunn bring out of him as well.
John Cena - Sisters (2015)
We’ve seen John in many action films before, such as 12 Rounds and The Marine, but it’s by checking out his comedy chops that you’ll be convinced that he can go the distance in the kind of role James Gunn is looking for.
In Sisters, John plays a drug dealer named Pazuzu, who has very minimal characterization other than the tattoos on his body and his knack of making curt statements that are unintentionally hilarious. His comic timing is excellent in this movie about a pair of sisters whose house party goes out of control.
Taika Waititi - Green Lantern (2011)
Yeah, yeah, we know you’ll want to point out that this film featured a laughable Green Lantern who could get beat by anyone, but there’s no doubt Taika Waititi crushed it with his performance as the best friend of Ryan Reynolds’ Hal Jordan.
His scenes were perhaps the only ones that were actually supposed to be funny, and Green Lantern is also the best film to watch to have an idea how Taika would function in a superhero movie setting. His turn in Thor: Ragnarok doesn’t count since he was shown in CGI there, so a fellow DC film in Green Lantern is a better point of reference for him before he’s seen in The Suicide Squad.
Nathan Fillion - Uncharted Live Action Fan Film (2018)
This film wasn’t even an official venture by the developers of the game, but it turned out to be an enormous hit among fans whose only criticism was that it wasn’t long enough. This Uncharted fan film sees Fillion play Drake during a shootout sequence, which is remarkably faithful to the game.
Those who don’t know what to expect from Nathan Fillion in an action-comedy movie like The Suicide Squad will be left with no doubts that he’ll charm everyone in that film after checking him out as the wisecracking Nathan Drake, who’s also awesome in action scenes.
Viola Davis - Widows (2018)
Amanda Waller was one of the few characters who was lauded for being a close likeness to the comic book version in Suicide Squad, and the hope is that she isn’t turned into a comedic character by James Gunn in the sequel so as not to mess with who she’s supposed to be.
In order to confirm that Viola Davis can very well play with others in ensemble movies (in a film that’s actually good too), then Widows is the one to check out. Here, the story revolves around four women who lost their husbands trying to achieve a heist of $5 million, with Viola’s character being the center of its events.
Jai Courtney - A Good Day To Die Hard (2013)
We want the opposite of Viola’s situation for Jai Courtney, whose Captain Boomerang really needs to be more of a threat this time around, rather than look like a complete joke all the time as he did in Suicide Squad. For you to take him a little seriously, go on and have a watch of A Good Day to Die Hard.
Rather than controlling boomerangs, Courtney is adept at firearms in this movie, as his character of John McClane’s son and John himself go on a shooting free-for-all in order to escape from enemies and achieve their freedom. It’s not the best movie out there, but is certainly a good representation of Courtney’s action potential.
Michael Rooker - Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
We’re all aware of James Gunn’s previous directorial effort in the MCU, and his good buddy Michael Rooker stole the show as Mary Poppins, also known as Yondu. If a similar character is created for him in The Suicide Squad, then we have no doubt Rooker will once again be the breakout performer.
In Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, we saw him be both hilarious and a bona fide action character, as Yondu mowed down an entire army of men without laying a finger. Mostly, though, we want him to bring his heartwarming sentiments over to The Suicide Squad, the same way Yondu melted our hearts in this movie.
Peter Capaldi - In The Loop (2009)
Before he was one of the best Doctors out there from Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi was best known as the fast-tongued Malcolm Tucker from The Thick of It. That show also spun-off into this movie, where we had more of Malcolm Tucker’s hilarious foul mouth.
It’s a tragedy that some people aren’t aware of Peter’s talents, but we can guarantee you’ll be a huge fan of him after watching In the Loop, as Malcolm Tucker goes on a rampage across countries as the Director of Communications for the Prime Minister in this satirical black comedy.
Joel Kinnaman - Edge Of Winter (2016)
It’ll come as a surprise that Tom Holland has shared the screen with this Suicide Squad star, in a film where Kinnaman played the role of a father of two boys as they spend a secluded time in a cabin out in the excruciating cold.
Those who found Kinnaman to be goofy in the role of Rick Flag - and we don’t blame you if you did - should have a look at Edge of Winter, where he avoids any uneven performance by appearing as the wildly unhinged father who has sinister intentions for his sons. Let's hope James Gunn can get this kind of mean streak out of Kinnaman as Rick Flag for The Suicide Squad, even if it is supposed to be in a comedic tone.
Margot Robbie - Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)
We’ve seen her knock the performance out of the park as Harley Quinn, but in order to have a more well-rounded perception of Margot’s acting talent, you need to watch the latest Quentin Tarantino flick. Here, Margot plays a cute-as-a-button character, a far departure from the insanity of Harley.
With there being an expectation for Harley to undergo some change in character, we just might see someone like Sharon Tate in The Suicide Squad. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, we were treated to Sharon’s best times, as she’s seen enjoying life in this film that brings to life the angelic presence she was stated to have had in real life.