The first Suicide Squad film was unquestionably one of the most polarizing comic book movies of all time. Although it bombed with critics, it handily made enough money to warrant a sequel. That said, it now appears that DC and Warner Bros. intend to shake things up behind the scenes before the sequel enters production. With David Ayer no longer attached to direct Suicide Squad 2, Warner Bros. has reportedly set its sights on horror director Jaume Collet-Serra to take the reigns and move the franchise forward.
On the latest episode of Meet the Movie Press, host Jeff Sneider revealed that Suicide Squad 2 might be looking at Jaume Collet-Serra as the replacement for David Ayer. Known primarily for his work in the horror genre, the 42-year-old director has proven himself incredibly capable of sustaining tension with recent thrillers like The Shallows, and Orphan, as well as several of Liam Neeson's better films in recent memory such as Run All Night, Non-Stop and Unknown. If Collet-Serra does indeed sign on to helm Suicide Squad 2, he will make a perfect replacement for Ayer -- who has recently shifted his DCEU focus to direct Gotham City Sirens.
For WB to potentially hire Jaume Collet-Serra for Suicide Squad 2 makes lots of sense. He has ample experience directing bizarre movies with dark tones, and the very nature of the thriller/horror genre requires him to be able to work with an inherently smaller budget. From Man of Steel's Zack Snyder to Guardians of the Galaxy's James Gunn to Doctor Strange's Scott Derrickson, and even the recent hiring of David Sandberg for the Shazam solo movie, it has become increasingly common for studios to tap horror directors to step up to the plate for major superhero films. Whether or not he will sign on to the project remains to be seen, but his resume and history as a filmmaker certainly make him a suitable choice for the project.
Jaume Collet-Serra isn't the only filmmaker who has entered the running for Suicide Squad 2 in recent weeks. Mel Gibson was also recently announced as a potential contender for the project, so it's clear that WB and DC want to enlist strong talent for this sequel. The original Suicide Squad was notoriously cut to pieces in post-production, so it seems entirely likely that the studio wants a fully-realized creative vision behind this project by the time it actually enters production.
We will bring you more information related to Suicide Squad 2 as new details become available to us. Wonder Woman will continue the expansion of the DCEU on June 2. For more information about the rest of this year's cinematic releases, make sure to check out our 2017 movie premiere guide and fill our your moviegoing calendars accordingly.
