If you're based in the U.S. and were planning to catch The Suicide Squad in theaters, you'll be able to do so one day sooner. Director James Gunn has taken to Twitter to announce that his DC Comics "requel" will open on the evening of August 5, which just so happens to be his birthday.
The filmmaker also debuted a stylish new poster for the movie, which features the members of Task Force X in silhouette standing on Amanda Waller's (Viola Davis) head. It's a cool, old-school piece of imagery, somewhat reminiscent of the early James Bond one-sheets.
A recent TV spot (it still hasn't found its way online) highlighted the first reactions to The Suicide Squad, but with global press screenings still not announced, we'll probably be waiting another while for a proper read on the critical response.
"Welcome to hell — a.k.a. Bell Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out — even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today's do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and everyone's favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese."
"Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and- destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave...and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them."
We recently found out that the movie was officially rated R for "strong violence and gore, language throughout, some sexual references, drug use and brief graphic nudity."
The Suicide Squad is set to premiere on HBO Max and in theaters on August 6.