With the announcement that James Gunn is writing and possibly directing Suicide Squad 2, suddenly fans everywhere are a bit more excited about the movie than they were before. Gunn’s brand of humor is pitch perfect for the group of DC Comics villains who aren’t exactly the the nicest people, but who are forced to be “good guys” in an effort to save the day. Although we know very little about Gunn’s take, rumors abound that it’ll be less of a sequel to David Ayers’ 2016 movie and more of a “soft reboot.” Which is completely in keeping with the comics, where team members were killed off or just written out constantly!
We’d like to think the two breakout stars of the first Suicide Squad, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Will Smith as Deadshot, will likely return. Everyone else is expendable, completely in keeping with the concept of the Suicide Squad (we would love to see Viola Davis come back as Amanda Waller, though). Hopefully, when Gunn takes over, we see less C-list characters like Rick Flag and Killer Croc, and a few more beloved iconic villains from the pages of DC Comics. Here’s which characters we think should sign up for Task Force X in round two, and who we think should play them.
Poison Ivy
She’s been a major member of Batman’s Rogue’s Gallery for years, and people have been wanting to see Harley and Ivy together ever since Margot Robbie was first cast, so why not bring her in now, since Gotham City Sirens seems to have stalled? Our casting choice for Pamela Isley would be none other than Lady Gaga, hot off of her role in A Star Is Born. We’ve seen Gaga already play a sexy cool villainess on American Horror Stroy, so this seems like a no-brainer.
Catwoman
Another A-list antihero who would fit in perfectly with the Squad, even if she doesn’t really have a history with the team in the comics. Selina Kyle has not had any presence in the DCEU so far, with her last outing on the big screen being her underrated portrayal by Anne Hathaway. For a new incarnation of Gotham’s #1 cat burglar, we think Preacher actress Ruth Negga was kind of born to crack that whip,
Black Manta
If you’ve seen the extended sneak peak at Aquaman, you already know that Black Manta, as played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, is poised to be that film’s breakout character. Not only is his costume almost 100% comics-accurate, his action scenes in the trailer have already made him a fan favorite. Assuming his character doesn’t die at the end of Aquaman, James Gunn would be wise to draft him in his version of Task Force X.
Solomon Grundy
Dave Bautista has a great working relationship with James Gunn from the Guardians movies, so we’d love to see Bautista play the lovable swamp zombie Solomon Grundy. There’s just way too much comedic potential at having Bautista portray a dimwitted undead thug forced to play nice. And if Solomon Grundy is too obscure a villain, Bautista could play another pasty white zombie, as Superman’s clone Bizarro! Imagine the hilarious damage he could do with heat vision alone!
Deathstroke
Warner Bros. already has the perfect Deathstroke in the form of Joe Manganiello, and they don’t seem to know what to do with him. I think the obvious choice here is Suicide Squad 2. But hear us out — we don’t think he should be on the team, he should be the antagonist. He’s a little redundant on the team with Deadshot already on it. How much cooler would it be to see the Squad vs. Slade Wilson?
Gorilla Grodd
I have no idea what villains the upcoming Flash movie is going to include, but if they’re not going to use Gorilla Grodd, we say just let James Gunn use him. Just imagine the comedic genius that could ensue if they allowed Gunn to go nuts and have an evil, hyper-intelligent gorilla as a main character. As for who would voice him? Well, Vin Diesel and Gunn are good buddies, and maybe he’d appreciate getting to say something other than “I am Groot” in that big deep voice of his. Don’t tell us you wouldn’t advance-order your tickets right now if they announced that one.Which characters from the pages of DC Comics do you want to see join up for the sequel? Be sure to let us know your thoughts down below in the comments.
Images: Warner Bros. / AMC / FX
