Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: The Suicide Squad

  • James Gunn Sets the Record Straight on the Canonicity of ‘The Suicide Squad’

    James Gunn Sets the Record Straight on the Canonicity of ‘The Suicide Squad’

    The more James Gunn talks, the more confusing the all-new, all-different DCU becomes. Before the new shared universe kicked off with the animated streaming series Creature Commandos, the DC Studios’ co-chair had already muddied the waters by explaining that certain pre-DCU events would ultimately become canon in the new DCU.

    “Now in Creature Commandos, you’ll hear them talk about things that happened in [The] Suicide Squad or Peacemaker. Well then, those things automatically become canon,” said Gunn in a November 2024 interview with IGN.

    And as additional DC Studios’ projects have been released, quite a few more things that happened in The Suicide Squad have been talked about and even seen on screen, leading to some speculation that Gunn’s admittedly arbitrary and amorphous canon guidelines may have been flexible enough to fully integrate his 2021 project into the DCU. Well…nope.

    Only CC forward is pure canon; Peacemaker is almost entirely consistent with that canon other than the Justice League; The Suicide Squad has a lot of consistencies but I think of it as an imperfect memory.

    -James Gunn

    In a new interview with THR, Gunn explained that canonicity as it relates to The Suicide Squad “brings up more questions than answers,” and that is “not DCU.”

    “People are always asking me about stuff from The Suicide Squad, and The Suicide Squad is a difficult thing because it is not DCU,” said Gunn. “But there aren’t too many things in it that aren’t [DCU]. Unlike Peacemaker season one–which is completely DCU, besides the ending and one or two mentions of different things–The Suicide Squad brings up more questions than answers.”

    The truth is that canon doesn’t matter…until, of course, it does..and at some point, it might. And so while the entirety of The Suicide Squad is not canon, parts of it certainly are. In both Creature Commandos and Season 2 of Peacemaker, the death of Rick Flag Jr. at the hands of Christopher Smith during the mission to Corto Maltese has been addressed, leading THR to wonder whether or not Smith’s Task Force X teammates might come after him upon learning he’s alive. According to Gunn, that’s not a story he’s interested in telling.

    “Now, I’m not saying that those characters won’t reappear. I’m just saying that I am [already] dealing with Peacemaker’s guilt over killing Rick Flag Jr. and his repercussions for that,” explained Gunn. “And that story is being told through his relationship with Rick Flag Sr. To tell it through Bloodsport, who was friends with Rick Flag Jr., would be an emotionally diminished story compared to the one I’m telling now. So it doesn’t interest me at all.“

    The mention of Idris Elba‘s Bloodsport is interesting given that Gunn has claimed that he’s “always looking for a place to put Bloodsport.” However, it sounds as though once he finds that place, it won’t include much in the way of dealing with Peacemaker killing Bloodsport’s “friend”…which would seem weird. Whatever the case, it’s likely that with Gunn looking to continue carving out a nice-sized role for Peacemaker in the DCU, we can all look forward to more canonical inconsistencies.

    Source: THR

  • A ‘Peacemaker’ Timeline Tidbit May Have Set the Stage for the Return of Another Member of Suicide Squad

    A ‘Peacemaker’ Timeline Tidbit May Have Set the Stage for the Return of Another Member of Suicide Squad

    Less than a year into its existence, the all-new, all-different DCU has already gone and developed a particularly bad case of canon-itis. While it should be simple given only Creature Commandos, Superman and Season 2 of Peacemaker have been produced as part of the DC Studios’ slate, references in those projects have canonized projects made prior to the DCU’s inception.

    In a 2024 interview, DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn–who created each of the DCU’s first three projects–muddied the timeline waters of the all-new DCU by explaining that the events of a pair of projects he created as part of the now defunct DCEU would be considered canon to the new connected universe…kind of.

    “Now in Creature Commandos, you’ll hear them talk about things that happened in The Suicide Squad or Peacemaker. Well then, those things automatically become canon,” said Gunn, before explaining that his previous statement was only mostly true.”The truth is almost all of Peacemaker is canon with the exception of Justice League… which we will kind of deal with in the next season of Peacemaker.”

    The appearance of the Justice League was indeed dealt with in the next season of Peacemaker, or rather before it ever began. During a “Previously in the DCU” opening ahead of Peacemaker‘s Season 2 premiere, the Justice League was replaced with the Justice Gang plus two (Superman and Supergirl). Without further explanation, Gunn added that the events of Peacemaker Season 1 took place before the events of Superman and that while Superman and Supergirl were not part of the Gang, the Man of Steel and his Kryptonian cousin has been able to “team up with them a lot like they did in Superman.” And in light of a recent timeline cue, that is interesting indeed.

    Only CC forward is pure canon; Peacemaker is almost entirely consistent with that canon other than the Justice League; The Suicide Squad has a lot of consistencies but I think of it as an imperfect memory.

    -James Gunn

    The truth is that canon doesn’t matter…until, of course, it does..and at some point, it might. And so while the entirety of The Suicide Squad is not canon, parts of it certainly are. In both Creature Commandos and Season 2 of Peacemaker, the death of Rick Flag Jr. at the hands of Christopher Smith during the mission to Corto Maltese has been addressed, meeting Gunn’s admittedly arbitrary and amorphous canon guidelines.

    “For instance, Rick Flag Jr was killed because we heard Rick Flag Sr talking about it in Creature Commandos, not because we saw it in The Suicide Squad,” Gunn explained. And now, it’s clear why Jr.’s death has to mentioned: it had to matter.

    The latest episode of Peacemaker, “Another Rick Up My Sleeve,” saw Joel Kinnaman back in the role of Flag Jr., kind of. As part of Peacemaker’s dimension hopping adventure, the character has found himself in an alternate timeline where a romance with Emilia Harcourt could be in the cards should she chose to leave an established relationship with a very different Flag. That’s all very interesting and will certainly matter eventually, but it was Kinnaman’s brief appearance as the OTHER Flag that set an important point on the DCU’s developing timeline.

    In a flashback scene featuring Harcourt and the now-dead Flag, it was established that the mission to Corto Maltese took place three years ago. And because canon only matters when it matters, that matters because it coincides with Kal-El announced himself as Superman…and may well have put a target on his back.

    In The Suicide Squad–which is, of course, not canon except for the parts that are–it is established that Idris Elba‘s Robert DuBois, aka Bloodsport, finds himself in Belle Reve after having taking his shot at Superman with a Kryptonite bullet.

    Gunn has claimed that he’s “always looking for a place to put Bloodsport,” and the timeline tidbit in the latest episode of Peacemaker might have made that possible. Fans had previously expressed uncertainty about how Bloodsport’s attack on Superman could be reconciled within the DCU and Gunn looks to have addressed that by setting The Suicide Squad and Superman in the same year.

    Superman reveals that Lex Luthor was well aware of Kryptonite and its effects on Kryptonians but Rick Flag Sr. also mentions that “there’s none left on the planet.” Without thinking too hard, it certainly does not mean there was none three years earlier, meaning–if Gunn chooses to make it so–Bloodsport’s attempted hit on Superman could become one of those things we hear talked about in Peacemaker, thus canonizing it into the DCU and allowing Elba to step back into the role.

    With Gunn having written both Peacemaker and Superman, it seems highly unlikely that the three year span since Superman became active coincidentally intersects so neatly with the time since the mission on Corto Maltese. Indeed, given that Gunn was working on both projects simultaneously, it seems rather intentional. Perhaps Elba will be one of the big surprises Gunn has been hyping; perhaps he’s not involved at all. However, the tiny timeline tidbit has provided all the opportunity necessary to get Elba‘s Bloodsport, a character who first appeared in a Superman comic, back in the game.

  • James Gunn Adds Two Previous DC Projects to the New DCU Timeline, Confusing Dozens

    James Gunn Adds Two Previous DC Projects to the New DCU Timeline, Confusing Dozens

    Before it even begins, the new DCU is causing confusion among fans. Set to kick off on December 5th with the animated Max streaming series Creature Commandos, DC Studios’ new attempt to bring the characters and stories of DC Comics to life already has quite a few projects lined up for fans over the next few years. However, according to DC Studios’ co-chair James Gunn, a pair of projects that were relased prior to the creation of the studio should be considered canon, too…kind of…for the most part.

    In an interview with IGN, Gunn muddied the timeline waters of the all-new DCU by explaining that the events of a pair of projects he created will be considered canon to the new connected universe.

    “Now in Creature Commandos, you’ll hear them talk about things that happened in [The] Suicide Squad or Peacemaker,” shared Gunn. “Well then, those things automatically become canon.”

    Released in 2021, The Suicide Squad introduced John Cena‘s Peacemaker to fans as part of a second team of degenerates sent by Amanda Waller to Corto Maltese. The events of The Suicide Squad, including the death of Rick Flag at the hands of Peacemaker, serve as the set up for Season 1 of Peacemaker, an HBO streaming series that debuted in 2022 and saw Cena return as the offbeat character. With Amanda Waller, who was featured in both projects, and Rick Flag’s father both appearing in Creature Commandos, and again in Season 2 of Peacemaker, a clear line of continuity can be established from one project to the next. Until it can’t.

    As it turns out, not ALL of the events of Season 1 of Peacemaker are to be considered canon to the new DCU, which hasn’t started yet but did start in 2021 with The Suicide Squad. “The truth is almost all of Peacemaker is canon with the exception of Justice League… which we will kind of deal with in the next season of Peacemaker,” said Gunn of the shadowy appearance of the Snyderverse’s team of heroes.

    Given Gunn’s creativity and the time he’s had to solve the issue of decanonizing a scene he wrote, explaining away the Justice League shouldn’t be much of a problem…at least until it happens.

    Creature Commandos kicks off the all-new DCU–or does it?–on December 5th while Season 2 of Peacemaker will begin streaming in August 2025.

    Source: IGN

  • Sylvester Stallone Says He’ll Return as King Shark

    Sylvester Stallone Says He’ll Return as King Shark

    James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad was a hit with fans when it landed in theaters and HBO Max last year. A soft reboot and semi-sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad, the film was well-received critically, but much of its success was due to its zany cast of characters. Nearly every major member of the team proved to be a fun reinvention of their comic book selves and managed to capture the hearts of audiences everywhere. However, there was one antihero who stood out among the rest. Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark, performed physically on set by Steve Agee, was an instant favorite from the moment the film’s first trailer was released. Luckily for everyone, he survived the events of the movie and is alive to tell another story. The question is, will viewers ever see it?

    In a recent interview with Comic Book, Stallone seemed to confirm there are plans for more of his character on the horizon. During a press event in support of his new Paramount+ series, Tulsa King, the Hollywood icon was asked if he’d be reuniting with Gunn to reprise his role in the near future. His response was promising:

    Yes, for sure. I think James has been very generous… He and I are pretty tight. So if there’s an opportunity… I love him, he’s great. 

    Sylvester Stallone

    Gunn recently took over as the new co-head of DC Films, alongside business partner Peter Safran. This means that the creative has control over the entire future of DC’s cinematic universe, and could hypothetically find a spot for King Shark anywhere. Gunn has already teased more Suicide Squad-adjacent projects are in the works, so here’s hoping a Shark-themed event might be one of them.

    Source: Comic Book

  • Idris Elba Confirms DC Project In Development 

    Idris Elba Confirms DC Project In Development 

    Idris Elba is one of the few actors getting to play in both the Marvel and DC sandbox at the moment. Now a household name, Elba has starred concurrently as the Asgardian warrior Heimdall in Marvel’s Thor films and the ruthless mercenary Bloodsport in Warner Bros.’ The Suicide Squad for the last few years. Thor: Love and Thunder brought the former character back after a long absence, while the latter character’s journey has seemingly only just begun. However, since each of his last comic book-based projects was released, his future with either company has been up in the air. That is, until now.

    During a recent interview with Erik Davis, the actor confirmed he’s in the process of cooking up something big for DC right now. Davis took to Twitter to share the news ahead of the interview’s release. Without any further information, it’s impossible to say exactly what it is Elba is working on. That being said, director James Gunn has been teasing the exciting future of his work with HBO Max creating DC television series. The creative already produced Peacemaker, a spin-off of The Suicide Squad, and has stated he’s developing more unrevealed spin-offs as well. Deductive reasoning would indicate Elba might be returning to his Bloodsport role in one of Gunn’s shows, but without any official word, that should still be considered simple conjecture. Hopefully, more information comes sooner than later.

    Elba’s next picture, Beast, in which the actor battles a ferocious lion, hits theaters on August 19th.

    Source: Twitter

  • SDCC: ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’ Trailer Includes a ‘The Suicide Squad’ Easter Egg

    SDCC: ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods’ Trailer Includes a ‘The Suicide Squad’ Easter Egg

    The Shazam: Fury of The Gods trailer has finally arrived and fans are already anticipating the return of the Wizards champions. The trailer included some great references to the wider DC Extended Universe with glimpses of characters like the Flash, Batman, and Aquaman but if you look a little closer you’ll notice some references to another recent DC film.

    If you look close enough you’ll be able to spot multiple references to Starro, the villain of The Suicide Squad. The world briefly got a glimpse of the conquerer on television, seen stomping down the streets of Corto Maltese as Task Force X took it on.

    https://twitter.com/massive_peace/status/1550903949443858432?s=21&t=juiibMIAS9AMq9J-AtETQQ

    Shazam: Fury of The Gods is set to hit theaters on December 21st, 2022

    Source: Twitter

  • The DCEU Should Develop ‘The Secret Six’

    The DCEU Should Develop ‘The Secret Six’

    Over the past few years, the DC Extended Universe has gone through a bit of a development period with a few leadership changes and course corrections. It took a while, but things in the DCEU finally feel consistent and projects that are announced are happening, resulting in the shared universe finally finding its groove. In the past year, we’ve seen the DCEU march into mature content, led by James Gunn projects The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, opening a window of opportunity for another niche team from DC Comics.

    Back in 2005, comic book writer Gail Simone took over The Secret Six, an off-beat team introduced all the way back in 1968, and reinvented them, making them instantly more interesting than before. The difference between the two incarnations is that Simone’s was comprised of mostly villains and mercenaries who took on jobs of questionable morality. She introduced this new team in the villain crossover event Villains United, where the new Six would be comprised of Catman, Scandal Savage, Cheshire, Deadshot, Ragdoll, and a Parademon, all villains who refused to join Luthor’s society of supervillains.

    In the few years, the DCEU has done something the MCU has yet to attempt: making R-rated projects for mature audiences. With this shift came a willingness to explore more mature content with their characters and they’ve seen resounding success. WhileThe Suicide Squad didn’t do gangbusters at the box office, it soared on streaming, quickly becoming the highest viewed DC film on the service, topping Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Wonder Woman: 1984. Following the success of The Suicide Squad, its spinoff, Peacemaker, followed probably the most disliked character from the film and crushed it on HBO Max.

    With success like this DC and WB should be gazing through their gallery of characters to find their next big thing, and should look no further than The Secret Six. Consisting of a colorful cast of characters with a few revolving chairs, the Six are one of DC Comics’ hidden gems and could be perfect for another trip down the R-rated avenue the DCEU has been visiting. The comics feature a much more mature, violent, and at times vulgar tone than many other comics and the series would work quite well as a streaming series on HBO Max.

    The current path of the DCEU seems as promising as ever and should continue to pull from the obscure regions of their universe to make some new household names. Characters like Catman, Ragdoll, Scandal Savage, Jeanette, and Black Alice could quickly become fan favorites. The series could also feature the return of Will Smith’s Floyd Lawton, as well as King Shark, and even introduce new heavy hitters like Bane. Never did we think someone like Peacemaker would make his way to screens around the world but here we are. Let’s give The Secret Six a chance.

  • Jame Gunn Teases New Genre for Next ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spinoff

    Jame Gunn Teases New Genre for Next ‘The Suicide Squad’ Spinoff

    James Gunn‘s The Suicide Squad spinoff, Peacemaker, was just renewed for a second season but that isn’t all the director has been actively working on. He’s teased that there are other projects in some form of development, but never gave away what exactly it might end up being. In an interview with Deadline, the director did avoid a joke question about Peter Capaldi‘s Thinker becoming the main focus, he joked around but ended up teasing the next spinoff that might explore a different genre altogether.

    I can’t say anything. It is connected to this universe, and I don’t think it will be the same genre as Peacemaker, it won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker, but it will be in the same universe.

    It makes sense for the director to try out new things, he is no stranger to exploring different genres. I would love to see him return to his horror roots with DC characters. His latest two projects did include the ongoing theme of body-snatching – a curious recurring theme there Gunn – but there’s a lot of potential for him to fully embrace those roots. We’ll probably still have to wait for a bit until we get an actual announcement but it’ll be exciting.

    Source: Deadline

  • RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    RUMOR: Viola Davis Will Return as Amanda Waller in ‘Peacemaker’

    Viola Davis just recently made her return as Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad, where she assembled yet another Task Force X for a mission into Corto Maltese. Davis is considered one of the best parts of the first Suicide Squad film, praised for her performance in bringing the character to life, and without her, there really is no squad. So, many were wondering if we might see her return sooner rather than later.

    According to leaker MyTimeToShine, Davis will reportedly return to the DCEU in Peacemaker, reprising her role as Amanda Waller, but the extent of her role is unknown. She is the one who Assigned John Economos and Emilia Harcourt to Peacemaker on an all-new top-secret mission, due to their insubordination in defying her orders to extract the Squad from Corto Maltese.

    Not much is known about the plot of Peacemaker aside from this new Task Force of presumably ARGUS agents working together to take down an alien threat known as the Butterflies. Shine also reveals that Peacemaker will presumably take on a massive worm in the series. There’s a chance it may be connected to the main threat in some way. The series could see Waller dealing with the fallout of the Suicide Squad since her team was caught on camera fighting Starro, and Bloodsport was able to get away with dirt on her.

    Source: Twitter

  • Oscars’ Visual Effects Shortlist Includes ‘Shang-Chi’, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ And More

    Oscars’ Visual Effects Shortlist Includes ‘Shang-Chi’, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ And More

    It looks like the shortlists have found their way online and Marvel Studios is dominating the Visual Effects category for the upcoming Oscars. Keep in mind, these are not the actual nominations, which won’t follow until January 27th until February 1st. The final announcement for the Oscars will follow on Tuesday, February 8th. As of now, Black Widow, Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, as well as Spider-Man: No Way Home are all up for the category.

    No Way Home may have a good shot this year given its massive success and cultural relevance, especially during the pandemic. The competition is fierce with 20th Century Studios’ Free Guy, Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, MGM’s No Time to Die, Warner Bros.’ Dune, The Matrix Resurrection, and Godzilla vs. Kong. It’s once again very noticeable that this category is mainly dominated by blockbuster releases.

    The latest Spider-Man entry has also entered the shortlist for the Sound nomination alongside big hitters like West Side Story, and Tick, Tick … Boom!, who might have the best chances given their respective musical foundation. Jon M. Chu‘s In the Heights is surprisingly absent though. DC also has gained some attention with The Suicide Squad nabbing a spot in the Makeup and Hairstyling part, which ironically its predecessor won back in 2017. So, we’ll see if it has the same chances.

    Source: Variety