James Gunn is hard at work on The Suicide Squad, but the writer/director won’t yet clarify if the film is a sequel or a reboot. The new film is expected to premiere the year after Cathy Yan and Christina Hodson’s Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), starring Margot Robbie, who returns to the role of Harley Quinn after starring in David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad.

The title of Gunn’s sequel has led some to believe that the 2021 film will in fact be a reboot, completely distancing itself from Ayer’s take on the DCU’s Suicide Squad. This would be a smart move, considering the overwhelming amount of negative reviews from critics and fans alike. So far, there have been a couple of casting speculations, and even a few confirmations. The casting directors are reportedly eyeing Benicio del Toro for a villain role, Idris Alba will be playing a new role, and Jai Courtney has confirmed his return to the role of Captain Boomerang in the sequel. In addition, Daniela Melchior is confirmed to be cast as Ratcatcher, and David Dastmalchian will play Polka-Dot Man.

Gunn has been busy, even missing the Avengers: Endgame premiere to work on the new Suicide Squad.  In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Gunn sits next to Elizabeth Banks, who stars in Gunn’s 2019 film Brightburn. When asked if Suicide Squad will be a sequel or a reboot, Gunn remained tight-lipped, replying, “These terms are all so narrow, there’s so many terms,” adding the sentiment that, “it is what it is. You’ll see in two years when it comes out.” In other words, Gunn wasn’t much interested in providing clarification to that burning question, but it’s worth noting that reports surrounding Gunn’s Suicide Squad confirm that the film is still set in the DCEU, meaning the film will not likely ignore the events of the first film.

It’ll be interesting to see how he approaches the supervillain film, and whether or not his version will learn from the mistakes of the first. Gunn has a host of films under his belt, most notably Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequel, both of which have been claimed critical and box-office success. Hopefully, he’ll be able to apply this same magic to The Suicide Squad, and redeem the property for disappointed fans of the first attempt.

Gunn and DC are making sure to keep certain details a secret about the upcoming Suicide Squad movie, with so far only the 2021 release year and a few casting decisions having been released. With his long journey back to Guardians of the Galaxy 3 now behind him, Gunn can fully focus his time and attention on The Suicide Squad, and hopefully that treatment will result in a much better film, whether it be a sequel, a reboot, or a little bit of both.

Next: All 30 Upcoming & In-Development DC Films

Source: Entertainment Tonight

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