The Suicide Squad is one of few upcoming DC films to have completed its filming and is now preparing for its fall 2021 release through post-production.
Jai Courtney, who plays Captain Boomerang, said that the film would not be a "strict sequel" to the 2016's Suicide Squad , indicating that The Suicide Squad would be somewhat of a soft reboot to the franchise. Fellow actress Alice Braga talked about how women were portrayed in the film, saying that they would be displayed in a "powerful way" during action sequences.
Empire recently unveiled two new covers for their upcoming issue on The Suicide Squad , which features the entire lineup of characters together.
The outlet has now released several images and tidbits from the upcoming issue...
NEWS
Empire revealed some new, exclusive images from their upcoming feature on The Suicide Squad , as well as a few interesting details from director James Gunn.
The first image is a production still, featuring squad members Polka-Dot Man, Peacemaker, Bloodsport, and Ratcatcher 2.
The image shows the characters looking nervously towards something off-screen.
The next photo depicts multiple Squad members in a transport vehicle drenched in red lighting, likely to be some sort of attack helicopter or truck.
A majority of the Suicide Squad is here, with (from left to right) TDK, Blackguard, what looks to be Weasel, Savant, Rick Flag, an unnamed soldier, Captain Boomerang, Javelin, Harley Quinn, and Mongal all in attendance.
On the film's status as a hybrid between a soft reboot and a sequel, James Gunn said "it’s its own thing:"
"It does not contradict the first movie, I don’t think. It might in some small ways… I don’t know…"
James Gunn also praised previous director David Ayer's work on Suicide Squad , saying he knows "it didn't come out how [Ayer] wanted it to."
"Listen, David Ayer’s gotten trouble for the movie...I know it didn’t come out how David wanted it to come out. But he did one really, really great thing, and that is he picked fantastic actors to work with, and he dealt with these actors in building their characters in a really deep and fearless way. It’s something David definitely deserves to be lauded for, and it’s definitely added to this movie."
James Gunn went on to describe the interpersonal dynamics of the Squad and reiterated that "anyone" could be on the chopping block:
"I think you know, from pretty close to the beginning, that all of the Guardians are good – apart from Nebula, who’s the outlier...But in The Suicide Squad , some of the characters end up being good, some end up being terrible. They don’t just get in fights and say they’re going to kill each other, they actually do get in fights and kill each other. You really don’t know who’s going to live and who’s going to die. I was given full freedom to kill anyone – and I mean anyone – by DC."
WHAT THIS MEANS
The new images alone demonstrate the zany and colorful fun that James Gunn is known for and will certainly get fans excited for the film. It is unknown what the four characters are looking off towards in the first image, though their worried expressions could suggest a bigger, star-shaped threat on the horizon.
James Gunn specifically compares the Suicide Squad to the Guardians of the Galaxy. While they are both ragtag groups of misfits, it sounds like the Squad will be a much rowdier and much more aggressive group of individuals. While the Guardians broke a few more laws than you would expect from typical heroes, in their heart of hearts, they proved to be good people. The new lineup for the Suicide Squad seems to be made up of a melting pot of different personalities and agendas, with some more villainous and sinister than others.
James Gunn seems to very insistent that " anyone " could be killed off in The Suicide Squad , which could mean that a major character, or characters, could see their end in the film. Margot Robbie previously stated that she was just getting started with Harley Quinn, though perhaps this could be a misdirect to hide a final hurrah for the character in The Suicide Squad .
Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flag is one of the few characters on the team brought on to maintain order amongst the Squad. An early death from him could send the team into a frenzy, making for a very interesting and chaotic dynamic for the team.
Plenty of characters are sure to meet their demise when The Suicide Squad releases in theaters on August 6, 2021.
