'The Suicide Squad' Panel at DC FanDome Gives Us An Idea Of What To Expect From The Upcoming Film

DC FanDome had a panel about The Suicide Squad, which, according to writer/director James Gunn, is still on track to be released on August 6, 2021. The panel began with some questions for Gunn sent in by fans. This was then followed by a trivia game between two teams consisting of the film’s cast members. Afterward, the panel concluded with a behind-the-scenes video.

In a response to one of the questions, James Gunn said, “The Suicide Squad is by far the most fun I’ve ever had making a movie.” This may sound very surprising to those familiar with Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, which themselves are a whole lot of fun. One cannot help but wonder whether The Suicide Squad may raise the bar. Of course, Gunn could be referring to the process of making the film rather than the overall feel of the film itself. We will just have to wait and see how the film plays out.

When asked at what point Gunn got interested in the Suicide Squad team, he said that he read John Ostrander’s original run back in the day. The comics reminded him of the 1967 war film The Dirty Dozen. He loved the character of Amanda Waller and how she was a strong woman who was not completely good but not completely bad. She can definitely a morally ambiguous character. Gunn views his film as a sequel to Ostrander’s comics rather than an adaptation. He also mentioned that Ostrander himself visited the set. While he did not delve much into the details of the visit, one can imagine it being quite the experience for Gunn to meet the writer of something that he loved reading and is now putting on the screen.

When asked which character he most enjoyed writing, Gunn’s answer was Harley Quinn. A fan of the character since her introduction on Batman: The Animated Series, Gunn explained that he loves the random directions in which Harley can go, which can be fun. Anyone familiar with Harley Quinn knows how unpredictable she can be, so she could end up being a wild card (again) in this upcoming film. Margot Robbie has certainly done justice to the character, especially recently on this year’s Birds of Prey film.

Surprisingly, Jake from State Farm sent in a question via video. He asked about exact amount of explosions and crashes. While Gunn did not have an exact number ready, he mentioned Dan Sudick’s special effects work on the film. Sudick, who has worked on various Marvel Cinematic Universe films, once told Gunn that he has done more work for The Suicide Squad than all of those Marvel films combined. One can expect lots of action and explosions.

Gunn also mentioned that his favorite villain growing up was Bat-Mite, an imp character who has appeared in different Baman comics. “And don’t think I didn’t think of putting Batmite in The Suicide Squad, because I did,” Gunn said. If Bat-Mite was seriously considered for this film, it calls into question just how ridiculous and out there it can get.

For those not in the know, the panel reminded viewers of which actors are in the movie and which characters they are playing: Idris Elba (Bloodsport), John Cena (Peacemaker), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flagg), Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang), Peter Capaldi (The Thinker), Alice Braga (Solsoria), Pete Davidson (Blackguard), David Dastmalchian (Polka-Dot Man), Michael Rooker (Savant), Nathan Fillion (TDK), Daniela Melchior (Ratcatcher), Steve Agee (King Shark), Sean Gunn (Weasel), Flula Borg (Javelin), Mayling Ng (Mongal), and Juan Diego Botto (General Luna). During the trivia game between cast members, Storm Reid, who plays Bloodspot’s daughter Tyla DuBois, asked the cast who shot Superman. Predictably, Bloodsport ended up being the answer.

After the trivia game, viewers of the panel were treated to behind the scenes footage of The Suicide Squad. In the video (viewable at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VImYeXnr13Q), the film is described as a “1970s war movie.” Indeed, we see team members storming what appears to be a shore. And of course, the weaponry used by the team makes them seem like soldiers of sorts. Peacemaker is described as Captain America if he were more of a jerk. It seems that this will be an unconventional comic book movie, which can be refreshing for viewers who have been wanting newer ideas. Quite possibly, The Suicide Squad could end up with better reception than 2016’s Suicide Squad. With a little less than a year away, fans now have a better idea of what to expect.

Written By Steven Shinder

Syndicated From Culture Slate