It looks like Task Force X will be put back on the shelf at Warner Bros., because The Suicide Squad has essentially bombed at the box office this weekend. While the Delta variant of COVID-19 is an undeniable factor - as is the ability to watch the movie for free from home on HBO Max - these numbers are not good.
Variety reports that James Gunn's reboot managed to earn a lowly $26.5 million from 4,002 theaters, a result made worse by the fact that The Suicide Squad cost a whopping $185 million to produce. That's an insane number for an R-Rated movie, especially when you consider that Deadpool's budget was $58 million, Logan cost $97 million, and Joker came in at $65 million. It should also be noted that the $185M doesn't include the millions spent on marketing.
While reviews have been excellent, the response from moviegoers has been a little more tepid, with a marketing campaign based around James Gunn's name (how much weight that holds with non-fans is hard to say). The Suicide Squad also boasts a cast that, while impressive, is without a viable, major box office draw; Idris Elba doesn't have the same pulling power as Will Smith, for example.
While this comparison isn't quite fair given the current climate, it has been widely noted that The Suicide Squad's $26.5 million opening weekend is 80% down from 2016's Suicide Squad.
Despite factors like COVID and HBO Max, it feels a lot like this franchise might now be D.O.A.
Here are also some reactions from industry experts: