John Ostrander, who created theSuicide Squadcomics, recently expressed his excitement over James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squad. Last week, the sequel’s highly anticipated trailer was released.
The Suicide Squadis the standalone sequel to David Ayer’sSuicide Squad. The first installment centered on a secret government agency that recruited incarcerated super-villains for a world-saving mission. Despite grossing $746 million worldwide and being the tenth-highest grossing film of 2016, the DCEU blockbuster’s plot was heavily critiqued and deemed disappointing by many. Since the film’s release, Ayer has revealed thatthe original vision forSuicide Squadwas altered because Warner Bros. wanted the tone to be less gritty and more light-hearted.
RELATED:James Gunn Confirms The Suicide Squad Will Be R-Rated
In 2018, Warner Bros. tapped James Gunn to write and direct the sequel. The tenth film in the DCEU will see a group of villains from Belle Reve Hospital join Task Force X and embark on a mission on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. The loaded ensemble cast includesMargot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker, and Sylvester Stallone as King Shark. Joel Kinnaman, who is returning to reprise his role as Rick Flag, described the film as childish, violent, and profound. He noted that Gunn didn’t have to compromise his vision and got to create exactly what he wanted.
The Suicide Squad’s explosive R-rated trailerwas trending on social media and caught the attention ofSuicide Squadcomics creator John Ostrander. DC Comics posted the writer’s reaction on social media. Ostrander stated, “he couldn’t be more excited” to see the film in theatres and that his initial impression of the bloody trailer was “wow.” Gunn since revealed that Ostrander is a former actor and plays Dr. Fitzgibbon in the movie.
Gunn is currently filmingThe Suicide Squadseries spin-off,Peacemaker, for HBO Max.The upcoming series stars John Cenaand will focus on his character, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker. The official logline states that the title character is a mercenary who believes in peace at any cost — “no matter how many people he has to kill to get it." Gunn teased that the show will explore current social issues through the eyes of the world’s biggest douchebag.
The cast ofPeacemakerincludes Danielle Brooks (Orange Is the New Black), Robert Patrick (Terminator 2), Chris Conrad (Patriot), andNhut Le (Kroll Show). Earlier this year, Cena stated that the anti-hero Peacemaker is the exact opposite of Bruce Wayne and would prefer living in a messy one-bedroom apartment than a cave or mansion. The spin-off series is eight episodes long and will be released on HBO Max in January 2022.
The Suicide Squadwill be available on HBO Max and in theaters starting June 02, 2025.
MORE:‘The Witcher’ Is Going Up Against The Wild Hunt In Season 2
