David Ayer's Suicide Squad has become a complete oddity in the weeks since it first hit theaters. Although it released to very mixed critical reactions, many fans have gravitated towards this new, fresh take on DC's villains- and the film has performed admirably in the face of overwhelming negativity. Along the way, Suicide Squad has managed to garner a ton of unexpected accolades, and it's not done yet. Not only has the Task Force X solo movie managed to make a serious impression at the box office, it has also risen to the top of the music charts.
According to a new report from THR, we can now confirm that the Suicide Squad soundtrack has become the first movie album to go gold in 2016. In the six weeks since the film hit theaters, the album has sold more than 500,000 copies, thus making it the best selling movie soundtrack of the year. Considering the fact that the film came out less than two months ago, that's an incredibly impressive performance.
If you've seen Suicide Squad, then you already know that the soundtrack plays an incredible prominent role in the film. Unlike Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad features a soundtrack primarily composed of popular music. Although this tactic isn't exactly revolutionary for a superhero movie (see: Guardians of the Galaxy, Deadpool, etc.) Suicide Squad sets itself apart for its use of a soundtrack that appeals to a wide variety of generations and genres. What other superhero movie can you think of that uses Credence Clearwater Revival, Eminem, The White Stripes, and Skrillex all within the span of a few minutes?
Speaking of Skrillex, the Suicide Squad soundtrack also set itself apart for its widespread use of original pop music -- such as "Heathens" by Twenty One Pilots, or the "Purple Lamborghini" collaboration between Skrillex and Rick Ross. In fact, Suicide Squad even dusted off the old promotional tactic of releasing tie-in music videos to accompany some of the film's original tracks.
That's a marketing tactic that we haven't seen used on a DC movie in some time. It harkens back to the time Seal delivered the iconic "Kiss From A Rose" to accompany Batman Forever in 1995. It's somewhat corny, but that perfectly fits with the self-aware tone that Suicide Squad was shooting for in the first place. Of course, we're still upset that Deadshot actor Will Smith didn't bring his own iconic rap style to the Suicide Squad soundtrack; the only thing that movie was missing was Floyd Lawton rapping "Getting' Jiggy Wit It." I suppose we'll just have to wait for the sequel.
Whether you love it or hate it, it's clear that Suicide Squad has become a phenomenon, as well as a force to be reckoned with. We will bring you all of the latest and greatest news related to the Task Force X movie as more information becomes available to us. Suicide Squad won't be in theaters too much longer though, so make sure to check it out while you still can!
