James Gunn’s ‘Suicide Squad’ Sequel Reportedly Loses Joel Kinnaman

The sequel to Suicide Squad, retitled as The Suicide Squad, has lost another of its original stars. The Inquisitr recently reported that the sequel to the David Ayer directed film lost one of its major stars as Will Smith left the project due to other commitments. The separation was described as being amicable. However, it left a big void within the star cast of the new movie. New reports now have Idris Elba in talks to replace Smith in the role of Deadshot. In the same The Hollywood Reporter article that confirmed Elba’s involvement, there was another report of Joel Kinnaman having left the project as well.

Kinnaman played Rick Flagg, the only character in the group that wasn’t a criminal being recruited against their wishes to be part of a crime-fighting team of villains. Kinnaman’s Flagg was the muscle that Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) used to recruit the team of reluctant bad guys. In a team of baddies, Flagg was the only righteous character who kept the team’s moral compass aligned. While Kinnaman wasn’t the star of the original Suicide Squad, he was a known face that lent credibility to the all-star cast. It remains to be seen if Rick Flagg will be recast, similar to Elba as Deadshot, or if Gunn will include another DC Comics character for a role similar to that of Flagg.

With news of The Suicide Squad recasting as others leave the new production, it seems clear that writer and director James Gunn will be creating his own team of anti-heroes and villains for his version of the story. This was always a foregone conclusion given that Gunn is a very particular filmmaker who brings a lot of his own style and tone to this projects, of which Guardians Of The Galaxy is a testament. Having left Marvel Studios for inappropriate tweets dated years ago, Gunn can be said to have landed on his feet with the Warner Bros. production.

I want Flag to come back soo hard. He, Harley and Lawton are the Skwad movie Trinity. Also, i think Joel Kinnaman soo underrated on the 1st film, he did a great job there. #TheSuicideSquad

— DCU Movie Page #RestoreTheSnyderverse (@dcumoviepage) March 6, 2019

The Suicide Squad is still set to have its other big star, Margot Robbie, return given that she’s reprising the role of Harley Quinn in Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn). No word on whether Davis will reprise her role as Amanda Waller, the person responsible for Task Force X, otherwise known as Suicide Squad. Her inclusion will depend on whether Gunn wants any connection or residue of the previous Suicide Squad to be associated with his new version.

The Suicide Squad is set to release on August 6, 2021.