TheWrap is reporting that James Gunn is currently in talks to write (possibly direct) WB’s next Suicide Squad film with the expectation that Gavin O’Connor is now exiting the film.
The number of director exits on this film is now currently at three.
However, THR suggests that this won’t be a sequel but a “brand new” take on the property.
Studio sources say the Gunn is not developing a “sequel” but a brand new take on the DC property, which features DC villains Deadshot, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc, who are forced into the service of the government in exchange for lighter sentences.
On the Gavin O’Connor front in relation to SS2, hearing the story he had for the sequel ended up almost being identical to the BIRDS OF PREY story and when that film was given the go ahead to go before SQUAD 2, O’Connor grew frustrated and fell off project to do HAS BEEN instead
— Justin Kroll (@krolljvar) October 9, 2018
Variety adding that O’Connor will instead focus on The Has-Been, which Omega Underground previously reported is currently in prep with the aim to shoot it this fall in Los Angeles.
This seemingly confirms our August reporting that Warner Bros. had greenlit The Has-Been, a sports drama that would star Ben Affleck as a former basketball player that now is struggling with the death of his wife and acholoism as he’s tasked to coach a basketball team at his former high school. Something that had only been in development talks when first reported.
I think this realistically explains why Affleck has been getting in shape (plays a basketball player needs to be fit for that role), has seen with a script and meeting with Warner Bros. top brass. Despite fan speculation this was all Batman related, which is likely wasn’t.
Gunn was previously fired by Disney’s Alan Horn after an Alt-Right group drudged-up some of his tasteless tweets. There had been rumblings that Warner Bros. had been pursing James for unknown projects.
While Guardians of The Galaxy might have been family-friendly for the most part, Gunn is known for darker material like his films Slither, Super, and the Dawn of The Dead remake. This might make him an excellent filmmaker to bring these solid characters into a film franchise they kind of deserve, it’ll be interesting to see if the studio gives this new film an R-rating giving James a little more wiggle room with the material.
Production and release dates for Suicide Squad are currently up-in-the-air.
SOURCE: THE WRAP