On Tuesday, Variety broke some big news in the busy world of superhero movies — Suicide Squad, slated for release on Aug. 5, 2016, now has a cast.
Jared Leto will star as the maniacal Joker, Will Smith will play the sharpshooting, take-no prisoners Deadshot, along with Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang and Cara Delevingne as Enchantress.
The supervillain-centric movie, which follows a group of villains who carry out government missions in exchange for shorter prison sentences, could be a big hit if done right, so here’s what David Ayer and his team should make sure to do.
Don’t try to imitate Heath Ledger
Jared Leto has proven, through his tremendous job as Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club, that he can make any character his own, even Joker, one of the most infamous comic-book villains of all time, if not the most infamous. The last big-screen adaption of the clown prince of crime was by Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight, and his charismatic portrayal will no doubt be weighing heavily on Leto’s mind. Leto shouldn’t be afraid to bring his own perspective to the character — if Jack Nicholson can do it, why can’t he?
Be comfortable enough to throw in some humour
This is going to be a tough one to fulfill, especially considering Warner Bros. wants no jokes for its DC comics adaptations. And admittedly, the premise of a group of people embarking on deadly missions doesn’t seem all that fun. But with a cast that includes both Joker and Harley Quinn, it would seem a disservice to not have at least a few light-hearted moments. Part of the reason the Marvel Cinematic Universe has done so well is that it isn’t afraid to be funny, especially in the recent Guardians of the Galaxy.
Give all the characters room to breathe
With so many Squad members and big names like Leto and Smith involved, it would not be at all surprising if those two are given the most screen time while the others fall more into the background (though Rick Flagg is essential, so he’s likely to get some solid screen time too). The Squad for this movie is a nice mix of characters — Enchantress, for example, is the only magic user of the group. Captain Boomerang is an ornery, back-talking and cocky weapons user. Harley Quinn is just plain unhinged. If Ayer plays this right, it could become a strong ensemble movie.
Focus on the villains
This may seem redundant, but there’s no doubt that the Justice League will factor at least a little into the movie, and Jesse Eisenberg is reportedly in talks to cameo as Lex Luthor. It will be tempting to switch gears and see how the heroes react, but the spotlight should remain firmly on this very charismatic villain group and its many, many dysfunctions.
Cast the right Amanda Waller
Conspicuously absent from yesterday’s cast list is Amanda Waller, the tough, authoritarian leader of the Squad, who controls all its members with an iron first. The character is essential to the success of this movie, and it would be important if she remained the overweight black woman she was from her inception up until the New 52 comics, where she was inexplicably slimmed down. Fans didn’t like it, and it would be nice to see a woman whose weight carries as much authority as her temperament.
