Just a week ago it was reported that Will Smith would not reprise his role as Deadshot in Warner Bros. and DC Films’ The Suicide Squad. Now The Hollywood Reporter brings word that director James Gunn and the studio have selected Idris Elba (Pacific Rim, Star Trek Beyond) to replace Smith as the expert assassin! The actor, who has appeared in comic book movies like The Losers and as Heimdall in the Thor and Avengers films, was apparently the studio’s one and only choice.
Smith’s departure was amicable, and it ultimately came down to his busy schedule. While earlier this year a report suggested Margot Robbie will skip this sequel as well, the new report says that Harley Quinn will appear, though it’s less clear if Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flagg will return.
RELATED: Will Smith Won’t Return For The Suicide Squad
Former Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn will write and direct The Suicide Squad, which will act as a soft reboot for the franchise. Deadshot is one of the key characters on the comic book team. However, Deadshot made his debut as a Batman villain before joining the Suicide Squad. He was also featured in The Secret Six, and headlined a few solo adventures.
Warner Bros. has scheduled The Suicide Squad for August 6, 2021.
Elba will next be seen in Universal’s Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, as Macavity in the Cats musical adaptation, and opposite Tilda Swinton in Mad Max Director George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing. He can also currently be seen in the Netflix series Turn Up Charlie.
How do you feel about Idris Elba replacing Will Smith in The Suicide Squad? Let us know in the comment section below!
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