Even though the studio behind the DC universe seems to be in shambles, what with corporate mergers galore, canceled projects leaving scars, and certain actors causing chaos, there are still some bright spots in the franchise's future. Chief among these is the corner populated by James Gunn's stable of eccentric characters, including the projects Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad.
On the television side, Gunn's world looks to continue unabated, with the white-haired creative reassuring fans regarding a second season of Peacemaker during the fallout from Batgirl's cancellation. Gunn has also provided a loose production window for the project, indicating that filming may begin in the next few months.
The film side of things is a little less clear. Even as Gunn's reformulation of David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad was generally well-received, the creator has left the door open as to his next feature project within the universe. Though he may very well revisit the Squad at some point, it appears he's interested in exploring more of what the DC has to offer first.
In the absence of any real news about the future of the Suicide Squad within the DCEU, rumors have been swirling furiously, though certain creatives have been working hard to set the record straight.
Gunn Clarifies Rumors About the Return of Suicide Squad’s Will Smith
James Gunn, writer-director behind The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, as well as the Guardians of the Galaxy stable of projects over at Marvel, took to Twitter once more to debunk a new rumor about the future of the Suicide Squad franchise.
User @GrayHarden77 recirculated a claim from pop culture commentator Mikey Sutton about the future of the DCU, sharing that Warner Bros. Discovery was supposedly pushing for a Suicide Squad threequel starring Will Smith as Deadshot. What's more, according to the rumor, "Ayer is the front runner to direct it."
Now Mikey Sutton is saying WBD wants a Suicide Squad 3 with Will Smith leading but they don't want it to follow James Gunn version. He said Ayer is the front runner to direct it.
Responding to a question about whether this rumor was true or not, Gunn gave a concise but clear answer, stating that "It's not."
What's Next For The Suicide Squad?
While rumors about the future of the DCEU are nothing if not numerous, Gunn has done his best in the past to set the record straight about projects he's involved with. As such, his word has come to be trusted by fans.
This most recent bout of clarification seems just as trustworthy. Even though the rumor seemed fairly unlikely in its own right, the extra sprinkle of the doubt provided by Gunn makes the matter that much clearer.
Even so, the rumor itself is still interesting. The DC fanbase has proven resilient before, manifesting projects and changes that seemed impossible. However, in this instance, it appears that this instance of fan fervor is just that. Gunn's work in the DCEU, while not quite beloved, is still generally well-regarded, and probably won't be erased or ignored in the next entry.
Though many DC fans are hard-pressed to get their way, even forcing changes to promotional materials, some battles are just seemingly unwinnable. With enough fan support behind Gunn and a strong track record to boot, it seems that his changes to the fabric of the DCEU will stand.
Even as Gunn himself isn't entirely sure if his next DC film will revolve around the Squad, it's unlikely that the franchise would revert to its Ayer-centric roots. However, hard news surrounding the future of the Suicide Squad is still up for grabs, so it seems only time will tell as to what direction the off-kilter team will go in next.
