‘The Suicide Squad’ Trailer: James Gunn’s Take on DC’s Expendable Goon Squad

James Gunn is no stranger to superhero success. The director’s two “Guardians of the Galaxy” films for Marvel Studios are among the most commercially successful in the MCU catalog. Now, Warner Bros. hopes some of Gunn’s magic will rub off on one of their DC Films properties that’s right up the director’s alley: cinemagoers’ favorite group of villainous oddballs, “The Suicide Squad.”  

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The Squad’s first foray in the DC Extended Universe, David Ayer‘s “Suicide Squad” from 2016, wasn’t exactly met with the enthusiasm Warner Bros. expected. Centered around a rag-tag group of super-villains forced to go on a secret mission that will almost certainly end in their deaths, Ayer’s film is mostly remembered for its muddled story and Jared Leto‘s obnoxious turn as the Joker. It was not by any means DCEU’s answer to 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy,” where Gunn utilized a similar deep-cut comic book about a goon squad to great fanfare.

READ MORE: Joel Kinnaman Says ‘The Suicide Squad’ Is “Heavily R-Rated” & Will Be “A F*cking Monster”

Gunn is behind the camera instead of Ayer for Warner Bros. this time around, though. It’s unclear whether “The Suicide Squad” is a standalone film, a sequel, a soft reboot, or a combination of all three, but by the looks of things, Gunn’s take on the Squad is a zanier, more violent version of the franchise. While there’s a similar merc-for-hire premise, and several cast members returning from the 2016 film, Gunn is pulling zero punches. Ayer’s film was rated PG-13, but Gunn and company look to be striving for a hard R-rating. The rogue’s gallery is more expansive, too, littered with lesser-known villains from the comic series’ original run in the 1980s.  

READ MORE: ‘The Suicide Squad’: James Gunn Says He Had “Full Freedom” To Kill Any Character

“The Suicide Squad” cast list is gargantuan, and the talent in the ensemble is just as impressive. Margot Robbie reprises her role as Harley Quinn from the 2016 film and this year’s “Birds of Prey,” but she’s not the only actor from Ayers’ film returning.  Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman, and Jai Courtney are all back in their respective roles, too.  

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Newcomers to this installment are what’s most exciting, though. Idris Elba, John Cena, Michael Rooker, Peter Capaldi, Taika Waititi, Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian are all part of the film’s loaded list of players. Some of these parts will obviously be brief turns and cameos, but it’s clear that Gunn wants to raise the stakes. With a cast that large on a suicide mission, a couple of big names have to die.  

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It’s also clear that Warner Bros. is very excited about what Gunn has in store for audiences. A spin-off TV series exclusive to HBO Max about John Cena’s character Peacemaker is already developing for an eight-episode run.  Warner Bros. will also release “The Suicide Squad” in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously on August 6, 2021. Fans find out if Gunn’s superhero magic isn’t exclusive to Marvel then.