Within the comic book genre, there are a few directors who stand out among the rest. Chief among them is James Gunn, who brought something wholly original to the MCU with the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. But after briefly being fired by Marvel, Gunn took a gig helming The Suicide Squad for DC. The acclaimed filmmaker has been updating the fans along the way, and recently revealed that there's going to be a ton of practical effects in Gunn's DC debut.
Superhero movies are a tricky beast to pull off, as there's usually a ton of action and visual effects involved. As such, it's become commonplace to use mostly digital and blue screen work like in Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. But James Gunn is going back to basics with The Suicide Squad, teasing how much of the upcoming movie is practical. In his words,
Well, this is exciting. It looks like The Suicide Squad will definitely have a sense of realism, as the team was careful to produce as many practical effects, sets, and costumes as possible. CGI will still obviously factor in, but James Gunn is clearly crafting a blockbuster that will feel rich and textured.
James Gunn's comments come from his personal Twitter page. Despite how the social media platform briefly cost him his job at Marvel, Gunn regularly uses Twitter and Instagram to directly communicate with the fans. He's been updating moviegoers about the progress of The Suicide Squad as it's been going on, regularly doing Q&A's and shutting down rumors along the way.
It sounds like James Gunn has really enjoyed his time working on The Suicide Squad. He was given his choice of DC properties by the studio, and decided on the villain-centric team. His blockbuster will serve as a semi-sequel to David Ayer's original Suicide Squad, which left something to be desired among moviegoers. The huge cast will feature a mixture of new and returning faces, many of which likely won't be making it through the movie's runtime alive.
The return to practical effects is a refreshing take on the comic book genre. James Gunn acknowledges that CGI is still important, but that he tried to use as many practical elements in The Suicide Squad as possible. This will likely result in action that feels much more high stakes, especially as members of the team start dropping like flies.
James Gunn has been open about his enjoyment filming The Suicide Squad. He's praised Margot Robbie as an actress, posted fun photos on set in Panama, and even stated that it was the most fun he'd had filming. This should no doubt have an effect on the final product, with The Suicide Squad having the potential to be the most beloved installment in the DCEU yet.
The Suicide Squad will feature Margot Robbie in her third performance as Harley Quinn, reuniting her with Suicide Squad co-stars Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Joel Kinnaman. They'll be joined by a massive cast of mysterious newcomers played by the likes of David Dastmalchian, Steven Agee, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, John Cena, Nathan Fillion, Taika Waititi, and Michael Rooker.
The Suicide Squad will arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
