Just last week, news broke that Will Smith will not be returning to reprise his role as Floyd Lawton AKA Deadshot in James Gunn’s Suicide Squad sequel. The reported reasoning behind Smith’s exit was scheduling conflicts. It now appears that Gunn and those at Warner Bros. are recasting Smith. Via The Hollywood Reporter, Idris Elba is currently in talks to portray Deadshot in the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel (rumored to be titled The Suicide Squad).
THR went on to say that Elba met with James Gunn Friday and talks went well. According to the site’s sources, Elba was the “first and only choice for Gunn and the studio” and those at Warner Bros. are “extremely high” on Gunn’s script.
If Elba does end up taking the role, it would be a huge success for DC. With Will Smith out and Margot Robbie’s involvement for The Suicide Squad in doubt, the relaunch/sequel is seriously lacking some star power. Idris Elba definitely makes up for at least some of that. Elba has been in many blockbuster films over the years, from the MCU as Heimdall to being the main villain in Star Trek Beyond. His next big role will be in the upcoming Fast and Furious spin-off, Hobbs and Shaw.
James Gunn’s version of Suicide Squad will reportedly be much more in line with Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies. It is interesting to see that Gunn wanted Deadshot in his version of the film, seeing as reports have stated that Gunn wants to feature a mostly new set of characters.
As of now, The Suicide Squad is expected to hit theaters on August 6th, 2021.
What do you think of this potential casting? Do you want to see Idris Elba in the DCEU as Deadshot? Are you excited for the sequel? Let us know in the comments below!
