This week has been a very exciting one for DC fans. Warner Bros. made a bunch of major steps forward toward the future of the DC Universe, with exciting updates coming from Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Matt Reeves' The Batman, and the developing Suicide Squad sequel, now titled The Suicide Squad.
The latter was previously announced to be written by Guardians of the Galaxy visionary James Gunn, and a new report indicates he's in talks to direct the project as well. This is exciting news for fans of Gunn's work, including Doctor Strange director Scott Derrickson. As he tweeted out in response to the news:
I’ll always be sad that James Gunn was separated from his Guardians children. But if true, I’m damn happy he’s moving on to another major franchise. Go crush it my friend.
It looks like Scott Derrickson is supporting James Gunn, and is part of the argument that the director shouldn't have been fired from the Guardians franchise. Still, Gunn's career will continue on, as he gets the opportunity to craft another quirky ensemble-based comic book flick.
Scott Derrickson's tweet is just one of the many reactions currently floating around the internet, after news broke that James Gunn will likely be directing The Suicide Squad. Gunn took a scrappy group of unknown characters and instantly made them fan favorites of the MCU with 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy. Gunn's perspective is very much apart of the franchise's blood, as his music taste, sense of humor, and even his dance moved were infused with the first two movies.
It's this same type of vision that will hopefully make The Suicide Squad the success that the first movie failed to be. While David Ayer's blockbuster brought Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn into live-action and even earned an Oscar in the process, it was a critical disappointment-- especially considering the movie's fantastic first trailer. But that might change with Gunn's direction.
The Suicide Squad will reportedly start from scratch, with James Gunn bringing new characters in to assemble the titular team. This will no doubt help the director carve his own space in the greater DCEU, and put some distance between his blockbuster and David Ayer's 2016 flick. While I'd put smart money on Harley Quinn and Will Smith's Deadshot reprising their roles, there's no guarantee we'll see the rest of the OG team, including characters like Captain Boomerang, Killer Croc, and Rick Flag.
The pressure will certainly be on for James Gunn, so it should be fascinating to see what he does with Suicide Squad's sequel. In addition to rejuvenating the franchise, The Suicide Squad will also be Gunn's first movie since separating from the MCU. Can he bring the same magic from Guardians of the Galaxy into his DC project? Only time will tell.
The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
