The Suicide Squad is fast approaching, but there are plenty of fans who are still focused on 2016's Suicide Squad. While the #ReleaseTheAyerCut movement isn't quite as vocal as the one we saw when fans demanded Warner Bros. #ReleaseTheSnyderCut of Justice League, there are still a lot of people out there keen to see David Ayer's original vision.
We know that included a final act which was going to see The Joker - his face burnt from that helicopter crash - returning to battle Task Force X alongside Enchantress.
Harley Quinn would have chosen her teammates over the manipulative Clown Prince of Crime and his offer to rule over Gotham City, thereby eliminating the need for Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey to devote so much time to their breakup. Of course, before that movie became a reality, the plan was for Ayer to take the helm of Gotham City Sirens.
This footage from Suicide Squad doesn't reveal much, but we do get to see some of that confrontation between the team and The Joker as the villain says, "You should be ashamed of yourself."
Take a look at the clip below:
Click on the "Next" button below to take a look at the confirmed
and rumoured characters in The Suicide Squad spinoff, Peacemaker!
10. Robert Patrick As Auggie Smith - Confirmed
Robert Patrick is, of course, best known for playing the T-1000 in the classic Terminator 2: Judgement Day, but he has plenty of acting credits to his name and should bring a lot to Peacemaker.
August "Auggie" Smith appears to be a new creation specifically dreamed up for the HBO Max series, so we don't have the comic books to turn to for additional details. However, his surname is a dead giveaway because Peacemaker's real name is Christopher Smith. That likely means Auggie is his father or older brother, and that means we'll get to know the vigilante on a more personal level.
Peacemaker is a complex guy with a lot of issues, so expect the show to address that in a big way.
9. Idris Elba As Bloodsport - Want To See
There's a huge amount of excitement surrounding what Idris Elba will bring to Task Force X in The Suicide Squad, and he's clearly going to be a lead character in James Gunn's DC Comics movie.
While that doesn't necessarily mean he'll make it to the end credits alive, we'd love to explore his shared history with Peacemaker in the HBO Max series, especially if it means we learn more about the time Bloodsport attempted to shoot Superman (which is how he landed in Belle Reve).
Ultimately, it's going to depend how much of a dynamic these two have in that movie, but assuming there is something there, further exploring that in Peacemaker would definitely be no bad thing.
8. Danielle Brooks As Leota Adebayo - Confirmed
If you've watched Netflix's Orange is the New Black, you'll be well aware that Danielle Brooks is a real talent. That series came to an end a while back, and her fans have been eagerly anticipating seeing what she'd do next. Joining the DC Extended Universe is a pretty smart career move, though!
Unfortunately, Leota Adebayo is another character who doesn't appear to hail from the comics.
That means we're limited with what information we can share, but it's said she's another character who will have ties to Peacemaker. Perhaps Leota will be an old friend or someone who believes in his cause? It's hard to say, but it will be interesting to see what James Gunn does with the actress.
7. Will Smith As Deadshot - Want To See
Will Smith was unable to return as Deadshot for The Suicide Squad due to scheduling issues, and that's a real shame. The first movie did a great job exploring his relationship with Harley Quinn, while also leaving him in a place to embrace his heroic side so he could finally earn his freedom.
While we're sure James Gunn will find a way to address Floyd Lawton's absence in his movie, if Smith can free up some time, then it would be fascinating to see him cross paths with Peacemaker either in Belle Reve or at another time in their respective histories as a vigilante and assassin.
Something tells us Christopher Smith would want to take Deadshot down after all the people he's killed.
6. Steve Agee As John Economos - Confirmed
Steve Agee played King Shark on the set of The Suicide Squad, though it's unclear whether he will also voice the character (the prevailing theory right now is that Sylvester Stallone will take on that role).
Regardless, Agee - who is perhaps best known for Superstore and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - is also going to be playing live-action character John Economos, the warden of Belle Reve, a member of A.R.G.U.S., and an aide to Amanda Waller. For some reason, he particularly hates Peacemaker.
Agee's involvement in the series either confirms that Economos has a history with the vigilante or that we'll be spending more time with Christopher Smith while he's stuck behind bars in Belle Reve.
5. Green Arrow - Want To See
Black Canary is part of the DC Extended Universe thanks to Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey, but we've yet to see Green Arrow. The TV series has ended, so there's really no reason the character can't be reinvented now, and this feels like a good place to make use of Oliver Queen.
As a vigilante himself, it would be interesting to learn what he makes of someone like Peacemaker, especially as the Task Force X member is completely unhinged and by no means against killing.
Ollie has had his own issues over the years, and that alone could make this meeting a must-see. Even just one episode devoted to Star City could add an awesome new character to the DCEU in the form of Green Arrow, and the possibilities for him beyond that are undeniably endless.
4. Chris Conrad As Vigilante - Confirmed
Perhaps the most exciting addition to Peacemaker is Adrian Chase/Vigilante. We're not anticipating seeing the character in The Suicide Squad, so this series promises to reinvent the hero.
If you're an Arrow fan, you'll no doubt be all too familiar with both Chase and Vigilante, though they were portrayed as two completely separate characters. In the comic books, the Distric Attorney took on this mantle as a means to fight crime outside of his official jurisdictions. He used non-lethal methods at first, but his mental health deteriorated, and he became a killer.
Chris Conrad looks set to put himself on the map with this DC Comics series, though you may have seen him in the likes of Patriot and Perpetual Grace, LTD.
3. Guardian - Want To See
Most of you will probably know Guardian best from Supergirl where he was reinvented as a new alter-ego for James Olsen. In the comics, there are multiple versions of the hero, but they're all vigilantes and not really popular enough for fans to care if James Gunn completely reinvents him.
Honestly, it would be kind of fun for Peacemaker to cross paths with a hero like this who has a similar mission to him, only to find that their viewpoints completely differ on how to deal with criminals.
Who knows, perhaps taking out Guardian is what pushes Christopher Smith into full insanity (bear in mind that his comic book counterpart is haunted by the people he's killed, hearing their voices in his head).
2. Jennifer Holland As Emilia Harcourt - Confirmed
Emilia Harcourt is another character with links to the comic books, and despite never really doing much in them, she's typically been depicted as an NSA agent sent to work with A.R.G.U.S. in monitoring Task Force X. That alone points to Amanda Waller having a little less freedom in The Suicide Squad.
As with John Economos, Harcourt's presence in Peacemaker is an indication that we'll spend some time with the character either while he's imprisoned or after the events of James Gunn's 2021 movie.
Jennifer Holland's acting credits include TV shows like Rush Hour and American Horror Story, as well as the Gunn-produced Brightburn. They're actually a couple in real-life (as you may know from Twitter).
1. Ben Affleck As Batman - Want To See
This may seem like wishful thinking, but with Ben Affleck signing up for both Justice League's reshoots and The Flash movie, it doesn't look like he's as done with the Dark Knight as we thought.
We don't really know what to expect from Peacemaker, but if it follows the character on a trip across America, or beyond, then there's really no reason he couldn't make his way to Gotham City. If that happens, then a battle between Batman and Christopher Smith would make perfect sense.
This could just be a fun cameo (perhaps with Peacemaker managing to get one over on the Caped Crusader), and we're sure Affleck wouldn't turn down the chance to work with a filmmaker like James Gunn.