For those unfamiliar with the source material from DC comics, Suicide Squad is a comic book about a team of super-heroes. What made Suicide Squad different from other team books is that the team was not super-heroes, but actually super-villains. These super-villains were required to go on secret missions in exchange for a reduced prison sentence. With a 2016 movie planned with a grade-A cast, there has been a lot of plot rumors of what Suicide Squad will actually be about.
Suicide Squad has a star-studded cast including Will Smith (Deadshot), Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Cara Delevingne (Enchantress), Jai Courtney (Boomerang), and Jared Leto playing one of DC's most iconic villains, the Joker. Also, we have just heard a report from Screenrant that Deathstroke, a very popular DC villain, could join the gang. This is not confirmed on the Suicide Squad imdb page, but Deathstroke could be played by Joe Manganiello. Also making a rumored appearance in the film will be Jesse Eisenberg as the one and only Lex Luthor, fresh from appearing in the Batman and Superman film.
We have previously reported that Tom Hardy would by playing the role of Rick Flagg, the team's rugged leader. According to Breathcast, this not happening as The Dark Knight Rises actor has dropped the role. In Hardy's place could be Jake Gyllenhaal. It looks like the official imdb page for Suicide Squad has revealed that the role of Rick Flagg will go to Joel Kinnaman. It looks like Viola Davis has been cast to play Amanda Waller, the bureaucrat over the Squad.
The all-star cast of comic book characters and A-list celebrities is only one reason why expectations are high for this superhero/supervillain team film. This movie aims to set the stage for future movies in the DC cinematic universe, including a possible standalone film for Batman staring Ben Affleck, who is set to play the Caped Crusader in 2016 with Superman v Batman: Dawn of Justice.
One of the big questions about Suicide Squad is the involvement of Batman. Screenrant says that there could be a cameo from the new Batman, who will be played by Ben Affleck after making his debut as the caped crusader in Dawn of Justice.
Suicide Squad isn't one of those properties that doesn't require Batman to operate, as it takes place in an expanded DC universe where the heroes and villains have already been established. iDigitalTimes has stated that the DC Cinematic universe Batman will be a big boogeyman that the government really hates. Since the Joker is the only one to really even get to know him, this is going to be the reason why he will be so important to the Squad.
There have been concerns that perhaps a film about villains becoming heroes in the DC Universe might be too early to consider, as DC's cinematic universe has yet to be successfully established. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy ended with a happy ending for Batman, which leads audiences to assume that the Batman in the upcoming Dawn of Justice film is a totally different version. This would mean that only Man of Steel is within this DC cinematic universe continuity, and that film was met with mixed reviews.
In other words, Suicide Squad is not going to use Marvel's playbook for their cinematic universe as these villainous characters have not appeared in other DC films before appearing in one big film together, like Marvel's Avengers did so successfully. However, it would appear that Suicide Squad hopes to cash in on the darker, edgier characters like fan favorites.
Here is what I believe the plot of Suicide Squad will be. Unlike the hit 2012 Avengers film, where all of the characters had a movie to introduce them, Suicide Squad will need to introduce their characters one at a time. We will have to see them in action where we can see a demonstration of their personalities as well as their special abilities. I would imagine that we would also see them getting caught, and then all be assembled in one room as part of their rehabilitation program. Of course they will need a mission, and wouldn't it be funny if they were all assigned to take down the Batman? If so, then Ben Affleck would have to make an appearance.
Whatever plan that the DC cinematic universe has, it will need to start filming the 2016 Suicide Squad film to meet the August 2016 deadline, and hopefully there will be no more surprise cast changes.
