Idris Elba Set To Replace Will Smith As Deadshot For Suicide Squad Sequel

After last week’s news of Will Smith departure from the Suicide Squad sequel we originally, even with the rumour of a recast, the door would still be open for a return. However, it looks like he’s lost out to Luther.

The Hollywood Reporter is stating Idris Elba is close to joining James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad to play assassin anti-hero Deadshot replacing Smith to the surprise of pretty much everyone.

IMAGE VIA CLAY ENOS/ WARNER BROS

Mainly because many fans thought a) Smith would return and b) the “scheduling conflict” reason was bollocks.

THR revealed source told them that Elba and Gunn met on Friday and it went so well that talks have already begun with Warner Bros and the Luther star is the top choice for both Gunn and the studio.

I’m sure for a lot of fans is a better choice than Smith. Which is a bit unfair because the 50-year-old did a decent job and was one of the better performances he’s given for a long time but I think with Elba he’ll become Floyd Lawton and maybe wear the full mask more.

IMAGE VIA DC COMICS

This seems even more possible because we’ll see the British actor playing Brixton in the Fast and Furious spin-off Hobbs and Shaw and in a recent interview with Daily Mail’s Event Magazine denying the continuous Bond rumours but say something interesting about his career.

IMAGE VIA DWAYNE JOHNSON INSTAGRAM

“Bond is one of the biggest franchises in the world, and for that reason, whoever ends up playing it, lives it. You’re THAT character, and known as that character for many, many years. I’m creating characters now that can still live alongside Idris. No ones that take over me and solely define me” stated Elba.

This quote makes this news interesting because when/if we see him in the costume he’ll be known as Deadshot to many fans for years to come. However, maybe he’s hoping that Smith will take most of the shine as the OG.

Meanwhile, WB is so high on Gunn’s Suicide Squad script that they’ve begun casting with the US trade adding most of the DC characters in David Ayers 2016 movie not return, although Deadshot, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and surprisingly Rick Flagg.

IMAGE VIA WARNER BROS

I say surprisingly because Joel Kinnaman didn’t do anything that special in the first film and similar to Deadshot could’ve been replaced by another DC character like Bronze Tiger or Deathstroke. However, another source is telling them Flagg is not showing up.

The thing that’s slightly worrying is there was no mention of Viola Davis returning as Amanda Waller but hopefully the fact we all expect her to return is the position of Gunn and Warner.

As for this news, I love Elba is joining DC is fantastic and I’d been open to him play any villain and as Deadshot, he’ll be one or thee leading force of The Suicide Squad.

The Suicide Squad is currently slated for an August 6, 2021 release.