Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched Dutton Ranch’s latest episode on Paramount Network or via Paramount+ subscription, so be warned!

The latest episode of Dutton Ranch, “Peaceful Find Peace,” delivered a surprising cold-blooded murder, though for a character that neither we nor Carter knew all that well. (Love Ray McKinnon, but Dwight did not seem like the best influence for Carter, or anyone.) The installment also pulled Rip and Beth deeper into Beulah Jackson’s 10 Petals Ranch, while bringing her youngest son Rob-Will back into the picture. Which I think we can all agree means that dude is going to die real-real soon.

Regardless of if anyone agrees with this next part or not, I think whatever fate comes Rob-Will’s way needs to be an exercise in over-the-top violence and humiliation, standing out amongst other big deaths throughout the 2026 TV schedule. I cannot stand him, and I will not stand for the rest of the season playing out without the youngest Jackson offspring meeting a gloriously violent maker.

Rob-Will Jackson Is The Worstest Of The Worst, And Him Staying Alive Helps No One

Jai Courtney is almost too good at playing awful people. For an extremely applicable example, see 2025's Dangerous Animals, which also saw him co-starring opposite a Yellowstone vet in Hassie Harrison. Rob-Will Jackson is definitely another notch in that belt, and he's the kind of character that seemingly no one else likes or gets anything positive from.

Dutton Ranch starts with Rob-Will murdering the Ten Petals foreman Wes, and then dumping the body in an overtly shallow grave that took Rip zero time to stumble across. So that's like three terrible decisions right there.

Beyond that, Rob-Will also makes life worse for his brothers and his mom with his substance abuse and poor decision-making skills, as evidenced by everything above. Beulah & Co. tried to take him out of the picture in the least damning way by sending him to rehab, but him showing back up with that sh-t-eating grim means that stint clearly didn't stick.

His return, timed with Rip taking over as Ten Petals' foreman, is likely to result in some heightened fireworks in upcoming episodes, and none of it should go well at all for ol' Rob-Will.

Also, just to put it out there: the name Rob-Will sucks. It's more of a boring sentence than a name anyway. Probably not enough of a reason to wish a character dead, but I don't feel bad about it.

I Really Hope Rip Gets To Brutally End Rob-Will's Existence

I suppose I may be projecting a little here, since Rob-Will hasn't even put in that much time on Dutton Ranch so far, but it's so easy to foresee that character mucking up every single thing he touches or looks at or thinks about. And I cannot see him walking around his family's ranch for more than a few minutes without being a giant pain in Rip's rear end. Especially since he already started mess with the ranch hand Azul.

For all that Rip will presumably want to stay on Beulah's good side here in the early days of their working relationship, I don't see him suffering Rob-Will's spontaneous actions for very long. So I'm already waiting for the moment when he snaps.

To that end, I think Rip killing off Rob-Will would be a great way for Dutton Ranch to introduce its stand-in for Yellowstone's "Train Station," where the protagonists would dump the bodies of those that got in their way. Nothing sounds better to me than Rob-Will being on that first train making its way in. Although if Rip annihilates the character in such a way where there isn't even enough solid matter for him to dump anywhere, that works, too.

Plus, given all the snakes that are in the Texas area where they film the show, I'd be okay if a group of a hundred snakes all chewed through Rob-Will's face at once. Might be hard to wrangle that, though.

To reiterate: I hate Rob-Will and can't wait for him to get blown into oblivion. So it better happen in one of the next four episodes streaming on Paramount+ on Friday mornings (or airing on Paramount Network on Friday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET.

It would seem that as Rip and Beth move away from their home in Montana and down to Texas, they’ll be met with a new set of adversaries. Obviously, that’s been assumed since Dutton Ranch was put on the 2026 TV schedule. However, new footage from this sequel series starring Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser gave us a good look at the characters Annette Bening and Jai Courtney will be playing, and I have to say, I think Beth has met her match.

As we inch closer to the premiere of this highly anticipated spinoff about the beloved Yellowstone characters, Paramount+ dropped an ad that featured dialogue and footage from not just Rip and Beth, but the new characters, too. Take a look:

So, to break this down, this video establishes that Rip and Beth moved from Montana to Texas (which we knew). It’s also quickly confirmed that this new place is complex, as Annette Bening’s character, Beulah Jackson, says:

That line is followed by Jai Courtney’s Rob-Will saying that “no one understands what we've done to protect this ranch.” And as that’s being said, we see Rip walking up to a presumably dead body. While it’s unclear if Rob-Will is connected to Bening’s character, we do know he plays an “imposing, unpredictable ranch foreman”. So, I think his words at the bare minimum add to why Rio Paloma is “complicated.”

Then, to add more fuel to this fire, Beth says she needs Carter “ready for the hard parts, because they’re coming.” And as she explains that, it cuts to a few frames of Beulah. Plus, at the end of it all, we get to hear Kelly Reilly’s character tell Bening’s character:

We know that Beulah Jackson is the leader of a massive ranch in Texas. If I had to take a guess based on this footage, she’s the matriarch of it, too, which would create a clear parallel to Yellowstone and the Dutton family. So, to me, it’d make sense if Beth rolls into this world like a tornado ready to rip it apart.

However, based on the trailer for Dutton Ranch, this teaser, and Yellowstone’s history of violence, I’d also operate under the assumption that characters like Beulah and Rob-Will don’t fight clean. Seemingly, Beth will be met with trouble if she tries to stand up to them. However, if I learned anything from watching Yellowstone (which you can do with a Peacock subscription), while Beth and Rip might not win every battle, you better believe they'll fight like hell to win the war.

So, yeah, I think Beth may have met her match, and I cannot wait to see what kind of stand-offs she ends up in when Dutton Ranch premieres for those with a Paramount+ subscription on May 15.

My fellow Yellowstone fans, the 2026 TV schedule has some very exciting titles on it for us. Along with Marshals, we’re getting Dutton Ranch “soon,” and that means we’ll have three OG characters on our screen. Specifically, to celebrate the update that Rip and Beth’s spinoff is officially on its way to us, Cole Hauser, Jai Courtney and more hyped up their new show on social media.

Ever since Yellowstone ended, I’ve been wanting more Rip and Beth. Now, we know we’re going to be able to watch them with a Paramount+ subscription in the near future. Cole Hauser, who has played Rip since day one of Taylor Sheridan’s flagship show, celebrated that fact too, as he posted the following on Instagram:

We’re really off to the races now, and it would seem that Rip will have a new brand in hand, too.

However, he won’t be the only Yellowstone alum returning. That’s because, along with Hauser and Kelly Reilly, who will reprise her role as Beth and Finn Little will be back as Carter, Rip and Beth’s essentially adopted son. The young actor posted about the upcoming show on Instagram too, writing:

He’s right, Beth, Rip and Carter will be back, and they’ll have a fresh start. Remember, Yellowstone ended with them on a new ranch. So, with new land, a new adventure awaits, too. And if I learned anything from Yellowstone, I'd assume that this new journey will be very intense, passionate and action-packed. I'm also sure it will be full of unexpected turns, too, especially since we know there will be a lot of new characters entering Rip and Beth's world.

Speaking of those new people, a bunch of big names have joined Dutton Ranch. We know Ed Harris will play a “weathered veteran” and a veterinarian named Everett McKinney. Annette Bening also joined the Yellowstone spinoff to play Beulah Jackson, the head of a massive ranch in Texas.

Along with those two heavy hitters, Jai Courtney will be in Dutton Ranch as Rob-Will, an “imposing, unpredictable ranch foreman.” He made it clear that he’s excited about this character and the show, as well, as he posted the show’s new poster and wrote on Instagram:

You heard him, it’s time to saddle up and get ready for a wild ride.

This cast is staked, it’s going to mix Yellowstone lore with new characters in what will likely be a fun and action-packed way, and I cannot wait to see what they have planned. Thankfully, it seems like we won’t have to wait much longer to see it either, because, in the words of the actor who plays Rip Wheeler, “Here… We… Go.”

Taylor Sheridan’s shows are known for their A-list casts, and the Rip and Beth spinoff will be no different. That was true before the latest casting addition was made. However, now that Jai Courtney has been added to the ensemble, we have three very famous heavy hitters joining Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser on this Yellowstone series. I also think they’ll impact Rip and Beth’s lives in significant ways, and based on what we know about Courtney’s character, I think our favorite cowboy might be in trouble.

Jai Courtney Has Been Cast In The Rip And Beth Spinoff

Before this, we found out that Annette Bening joined Rip and Beth’s show to play Beulah Jackson, the head of a huge ranch in Texas. It was also announced that Ed Harris was cast in the tentatively titled Dutton Ranch as veteran and veterinarian Everett McKinney. Now, it’s been revealed that Jai Courtney has joined this stacked lineup by way of a report from Variety.

In the show, he’ll play Rob-Will, “an imposing, unpredictable ranch foreman.” No other information is given about his character. However, the terms “imposing” and “unpredicable” lean toward him being an antagonist to me.

Plus, he’s been in projects like The Terminal List, Suicide Squad, Terminator Genisys and A Good Day to Die Hard. He’s really no stranger to action, and I think that will play into his role in this show, specifically his relationship with Cole Hauser’s character Rip.

I Think Jai Courtney’s Character Will Be Rip’s Adversary

Now, the simple idea of Jai Courtney and Cole Hauser being in the same show already has me hoping they’ll end up in some kind of big action sequence and/or fight. They really feel like they’d make for great adversaries. However, I think the upcoming Yellowstone show’s logline adds to this idea, too. It states:

That “stiff competition” feels like it could come via Courtney and Bening’s characters. I don’t know if they work on the same ranch or two different operations. However, either way, I think they’ll both be foes for Rip and Beth.

Plus, since Rob-Will is described as an “imposing, unpredictable ranch foreman,” it sounds like he’ll have a similar job to Rip, and I think it makes sense for them to go head-to-head.

Rip’s action-packed fights and darker side have always been one of the fascinating parts of Yellowstone, and that, mixed with his kind relationship with Beth, is what makes their storyline so great. It’s these two aggressive and ruthless people coming together out of genuine love, and that’s a dynamic I want them to continue to explore.

I think one way they can do that is by bringing Jai Courtney in as the next person Rip will want to take to the train station. So, I’m curious to see if his character, Rob-Will, really will face off against Cole Hauser’s cowboy.

At the moment, it’s unclear if Dutton Ranch will premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, but if I had to guess, I think it could come out at the end of this year or early next year. So, hopefully, we’ll get to see Jai Courtney and Cole Hauser face off when Rip and Beth’s spinoff comes to our screens.

Warning: SPOILERS for the Peacemaker episode “Another Rick Up My Sleeve” are ahead!

2021’s The Suicide Squad didn’t waste time showing just how dangerous the missions the DC supervillains part of Task Force X go on can be. Namely, almost all of Amanda Waller’s “first” team was killed on that beach in Corto Maltese at the beginning of the movie, including Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang, who’d previously appeared in 2016’s Suicide Squad. As if that wasn’t bad enough, The Suicide Squad writer and director James Gunn revealed that Courtney learned about his character being killed off pretty jarringly.

This was brought up on Peacemaker: The Official Podcast with James Gunn when Gunn and actors Jennifer Holland (who’s also married to the filmmaker) and Steve Agee were speaking with Joel Kinnaman, who reprised Rick Flag Jr. in the latest Peacemaker episode to premiere on the 2025 TV schedule. While Gunn was asking Kinnaman if he’d been told ahead of time that Flag would die in The Suicide Squad before getting the script, he said this about Jai Courtney:

Yeesh, couldn’t Jai Courtney’s agents have broken him gently before he cracked open that script? Considering how was one of the more important members of Suicide Squad’s ensemble cast, I can imagine how shocked he was to learn that Captain Boomerang, a.k.a. Digger Harkness, was being snuffed out so quickly. Joel Kinnaman couldn’t remember if someone had warned him about Rick Flag Jr.’s fate, but at least he had a much meatier role. Besides, Peacemaker Season 2’s third episode gave him the opportunity to both play his original Flag in a flashback scene, as well as an alternate universe version of him.

In Captain Boomerang’s case, he was accidentally killed as collateral damage when his teammate Mongal was trying to bring down one of the Corto Maltese army’s helicopters. However, Jai Courtney indicated in May that James Gunn seems open to the possibility of bringing Boomerang back. That would be possible because The Suicide Squad was a DCEU release, and now we’re in the DCU continuity. So although many of the events from that movie are still canon in this universe, perhaps Boomerang’s death could be retconned.

If that happens in any of the upcoming DC movies or upcoming DC TV shows, you can be sure we’ll talk about it. For now, feel free to revisit Jai Courtney’s two Captain Boomerang outings by streaming both Suicide Squad movies with a Max subscription.

Jai Courtney is definitely no stranger to the superhero genre, as the actor has two DC films under his belt. He notably played Digger Harkness a.k.a. Captain Boomerang in 2016’s Suicide Squad and its standalone sequel, 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Harkness met a bloody fate early into the follow-up film, which seemed to mark the end of his story. However, Courtney just gave the impression that filmmaker James Gunn, who now co-runs DC Studios, is open to him reprising the role. And that leaves me with questions.

What Did Jai Courtney Say About Possibly Returning As Captain Boomerang?

The Suicide Squad begins with Task Force X being sent on a mission to the island nation of Corto Maltese. Unfortunately, the operation doesn’t go as planned, and it ends with much of the team being massacred. That includes Captain Boomerang, who’s hit with both helicopter parts and splinters before the chopper crushes him. Such a demise seems definite, but Jai Courtney told Variety amid the Cannes Film Festival that Gunn gave him “hope” regarding a return to the world of DC:

These comments are quite different from the ones that Jai Courtney shared in late 2024. At that time, Courtney didn’t seem so bullish about reprising his role as the deranged criminal. Fans may be keen to know, however, that he’s willing to return and that James Gunn apparently left the door open for him as well. However, given Digger was one of the many casualties in The Suicide Squad, we really should ponder the possible ways in the which the character could even reappear, and this could be tricky.

How Exactly Could Captain Boomerang Return In The New Continuity?

Since James Gunn took on the role of co-CEO of DC Studios, he’s been overseeing development on the first chapter of the DCU continuity. Jai Courtney’s version of Harkness technically existed in the DC Extended Universe, so that raises questions as to how the character could even return. I mean, could he be added to a production by way of a flashback that takes place before his gruesome demise? That certainly sounds like a feasible solution.

There is however another question to consider: could Boomerang simply be retconned back to life? Canon has been a major topic of discussion since the DCU was confirmed to be in development, and there have been a number of official explanations on that front. For instance, it’s been confirmed that “almost all” of Peacemaker Season 1 is canon within the DCU, despite the show having been born out of the DCEU. With that, the show ignores some previous developments and embraces others. So, given that logic, maybe this new timeline could gloss over Digger’s death, allowing him to return to the land of the living.

I suppose there’s also an easier solution, which would simply be to have the Dangerous Animals star just portray another character entirely for the DCU. After all, Alan Tudyk plays multiple DC roles now, and it’s quite impressive how he does it. Despite that though, the Australian star’s comments definitely give the impression that he’s specifically keen on returning as Harkness.

All in all, I’d say that there’s at least a chance that Jai Courtney will don those weaponized boomerangs again, especially since James Gunn went out of his way to soothe his concerns. Of course, it’s hard to say if something concrete will actually come to fruition. In the meantime, stream both Suicide Squad movies using a Max subscription.

DC's film studio is going through major changes right now. With the DCEU officially over (and streaming with a Max subscription), all eyes are on upcoming DC movies, which will bring the new DC Universe so theaters. Fans are especially invested in casting announcements, and seeing if more characters appear from the previous shared universe. So would actor Jai Courtney return as Captain Boomerang in the new DCU? He recently shared his honest thoughts.

The DCU's first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, and fans are eager to learn who will be portraying beloved heroes and villains from the comic book. Captain Boomerang died in The Suicide Squad, but since we're going into a new universe some fans are hoping he'll reunite with James Gunn and reprise his role. While speaking with ComicBook about his new movie Catching Dust, he was asked about possibly playing a different character in the DCU, and got real by saying:

There you have it. It sounds like while Courtney doesn't want to play a new character, he'd be down to portray Captain Boomerang sometime again in the future. But it remains to be seen whether or not this actually happens.

Courtney had an interesting tenure in the DCEU. The original Suicide Squad won an Oscar, but was critically panned. Filmmaker David Ayer claimed studio interference, and there's still talk about #ReleaseTheAyerCut. Boomerang got another appearance in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, but was shockingly killed off in the first sequence of the film. Later in this same interview with ComicBook, Courtney spoke about potentially playing that villain a third time, offering:

Well, that's definitely hopeful. We'll just have to wait and see if James Gunn needs the character Captain Boomerang, and whether or not he offered Courtney the opportunity to play the role in a different shared universe. Fingers crossed, especially sine Gunn has a penchant for working with the same collaborators over and over again.

It should be fascinating to see if more DCEU actors get to play in the new DCU. Many people think Aquaman star Jason Momoa will portray someone new, since he posted a cryptic video after meeting with DC. Some fans are eager to learn if Margot Robbie will be back as Harley Quinn, after portraying her in three different movies.

The DCU will kick off with Superman on July 11th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

Netflix is helping to change the game once again by way of how we consume our entertainment. The streaming service, which has already produced a number of interactive series and movies, kicked off the new year with Kaleidoscope, a unique heist drama starring Giancarlo Esposito of Better Call Saul and The Mandalorian fame. Inspired by the real-world case in which billions of dollars were lost in the floods of Hurricane Sandy, creator Eric Garcia delivered eight color-titled episodes that can be viewed in any order — save for "White," which serves as the finale. The gimmick seems to be working, and fans have taken to Twitter with some fun feedback and a variety of recommended viewing orders.

With the freedom to watch all eight episodes of Kaleidoscope in whatever sequence the viewer pleases, of course people are starting to pop up with opinions on the best way to go about it, or simply their reasons for making specific choices. Mikaela Miyamoto, who apparently had a small part in the series, encouraged those with a Netflix subscription to start with the episode she’s in: 

Kaleidoscope centers around master thief Leo Pap (Giancarlo Esposito) and his crew attempting an epic heist with a $7 billion payday. With so much money at stake, however, factors including betrayal and greed work to thwart their plot. In addition to Esposito, the series stars Rufus Sewell, Paz Vega, Rosaline Elbay, Jai Courtney, Tati Gabrielle and Peter Mark Kendall.

Other Netflix subscribers weighed in with their own recommendations for what order to view the series, with one person tweeting that while “Yellow” would be a great place to start, they recommended going “Green”:

Every episode of Kaleidoscope reveals a piece of an elaborate puzzle of corruption, greed, vengeance, scheming, loyalties and betrayals, as Eric Garcia has said, so the viewing order will inform how the audience thinks about the different characters and situations, even without them realizing it. Which, presumably, helps to provide a different experience for the majority of viewers. Here was another preference: 

While “White” is intended to be the final episode, many people had other ideas, with this Twitter user giving different recommendations based on what kind of story you’re looking for: 

Many on Twitter helpfully posted the chronological order of the episodes, though it's important to note that there are some whose events take place after what goes down in the episode intended to be saved as the finale. So keep that in mind when deciding how rebellious you're feeling. Here's how the episodes play out in relation to the heist:

The concept of being able to watch the episodes in any order is unique, but it’s not totally new. The then-titled CBS All Access tried it back in 2020 with the true crime series Interrogation, which can now be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. You can also check out what other series will hit Netflix this year, and see what premieres are headed our way with the 2023 TV schedule. 

The 2023 Netflix TV schedule is kicking off in spectacular fashion with the arrival of what sounds like one of the most unique and inventive shows to land on the popular streaming platform in quite some time: Kaleidoscope. Eric Garcia’s eight-episode crime saga with a story spanning 25 years (which can be watched in different orders) has put together an incredible cast with wonderfully talented actors on both sides of the show’s central heist played by the likes of Giancarlo Esposito, Rufus Sewell, and Paz Vega, to name just a few.

And while some of the more prominent members of the Kaleidoscope cast are almost instantly recognizable, other actors from the new Netflix show will be more of a mystery for most. That being said, we have put together a quick yet comprehensive rundown of the main cast so that you have one less mystery to uncover while you watch the epic heist unfold before your eyes. Let’s crack it open and see what’s inside, shall we?

Giancarlo Esposito (Leo Pap)

Leading the Kaleidoscope cast, as well as the crew of thieves at the center of its mysterious and uniquely presented story, is Giancarlo Esposito, who takes on the role of Leo Pap, a career criminal who is seen as the mastermind of the impossible operation.

Throughout his career, Esposito has given some truly amazing performances, including iconic villainous roles on shows like Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, and The Mandalorian, the latter of which will see his return as Moff Gideon in its upcoming third season. Over the years, Esposito has also appeared in movies like Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, Okja, and Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man. 

Paz Vega (Ava Mercer)

Next up for the Kaleidoscope cast is Paz Vega, who takes on the role of Ava Mercer, a member of the crew who works as an attorney for a day job but also a highly-trained and extremely dangerous weapons expert tasked with coming up with the firepower the team will put to use during their seemingly impossible mission.

Following a string of movies in her native Spain, Vega broke into English-speaking markets with her portrayal of single mother Flor Moreno in the 2004 Adam Sandler-led dramedy Spanglish. Since then, she has appeared in films such as 10 Items or Less, Burning Plains, Rambo: Last Blood, and 13 Minutes.  

Rosaline Elbay (Judy Goodwin)

Rosaline Elbay appears in one of the major roles in the Kaleidoscope cast with her portrayal of Judy Goodwin, a demolitions expert who helps come up with the ingenious ways the crew will need to use if they are going to be successful in breaking into the massive and intricate vault.

Prior to joining the Kaleidoscope cast, Elbay made a name for herself with roles in movies like Fork & Knife and Diamond Dust, as well as a string of TV appearances that includes a recurring role on the Hulu original series Ramy. 

Jai Coutney (Bob Goodwin)

Jai Courtney shows up in the Kaleidoscope cast as Bob Goodwin, a brash yet incredibly intelligent safecracker with a certain propensity for breaking into intricate systems and getting under people’s skin.

One of only a few members of the Suicide Squad cast to return for James Gunn’s 2021 sequel/reboot The Suicide Squad as Captain Boomerang, Jai Courtney has built a nice career for himself the past decade-and-a-half, appearing in massive action franchises with roles in A Good Day to Die Hard, Terminator Genisys, and the Divergent movies. He has also popped up on TV shows like Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, and The Terminal List over the years. 

Peter Mark Kendall (Stan Loomis)

Peter Mark Kendall appears in the Kaleidoscope cast as Stan Loomis, an expert smuggler who is willing to do anything and everything to help out the group of thieves pull off their impossible mission, even if it means risking everything he has built.

Prior to joining the Kaleidoscope cast, Kendall appeared on a series of TV shows that includes everything from The Leftovers to The Americans and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit to Chicago Med, and so much more. His film appearances include Time Out of Mind, Louder Than Bombs, and The Ticket. Kendall also had a small role in Top Gun: Maverick, which broke Paramount+ records upon its streaming debut in December 2022. 

Jordan Mendoza (RJ Acosta Jr.)

Rounding out the crew of thieves at the center of Kaleidoscope is Jordan Mendoza, who portrays RJ Acosta Jr., the team’s technically proficient yet socially-inept driver and engineer.

Throughout his acting career, which is admittedly brief up to this point, Mendoza has appeared on shows like Your Worst Fears Confirmed, Eva vs. Anxiety, ZIWE, and Maurice on Mars. However, Mendoza has worked in the writers room for shows like Dave, Big Mouth, Human Resources, and the 2022 Beavis and Butt-Head reboot. 

Rufus Sewell (Roger Salas)

Leading the security team tasked with preventing the “unbeatable” vault from being cracked on Kaleidoscope Roger Salas, a former thief and one-time partner of Leo Pap played by Rufus Sewell.

Over the course of the past 30-plus years, Sewell has appeared in movies like Hamlet, Dark City, A Knight’s Tale, The Illusionist, The Holiday, and The Father, to name just a few. His list of TV credits is just as impressive, with shows like John Adams, Victoria, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and The Man in the High Castle all coming to mind. He has also had a rather successful stage career, with decorated performances in Rock ‘n’ Roll, Old Times, and Old Times. 

Tati Gabrielle (Hannah Kim)

Working alongside Salas in preventing a massive amount of money from being taken on their watch is Hannah Kim, a mysterious, intelligent and ambitious character played by Tati Gabrielle. 

A Netflix mainstay at this point in her career, Gabrielle has been featured on the main casts of shows like Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and You the past few years, with Kaleidoscope being the most recent addition to that list. Fans of the 2022 video game adaptation Uncharted will also recognize Gabrielle from her portrayal of the villainous Jo Braddock. Her other notable appearances include The Owl House, The 100, and The Emoji Movie. 

Soojeong Son (Liz Kim)

Soojeong Son shows up in the Kaleidoscope cast as Liz Kim, Hannah’s younger and more free-spirited sister.

In the past few years, Son has landed roles on shows like Servant (pictured above), Succession, and Stuff for Women, as well as a list of movies that includes The Outside Story, Submission, and Two Little Bitches. 

Hemky Madera (Carols Sujo)

Rounding out the corporate security side of the Kaleidoscope cast is Hemky Madera, who takes on the role of Carlos Sujo, Salas’ intense and intensely loyal right-hand man who will do anything and everything to keep the crew of thieves from pulling off their big heist.

Throughout his career, Madera has landed prominent roles on shows like Weeds, Queen of the South, and Brockmire, as well as one-off appearances on everything from Law & Order to NCIS: Los Angeles and The League to The Shield. He has also appeared in a few dozen movies over the years, including Spider-Man: Homecoming, in which he played Mr. Delmar. 

Niousha Noor (Nazan Abbasi)

There is more to the Kaleidoscope cast than just thieves and highly-trained and sophisticated security teams, as federal agents are also on the case, including Niousha Noor’s driven FBI agent Nazan Abbasi, whose investigation could bring down a crew of master thieves but also her along with them.

Prior to landing a major role on Kaleidoscope, Noor made a name for herself with appearances on shows like Here and Now and Stitchers, as well as in movies like the 2020 Iranian psychological horror movie The Night. 

Bubba Weiler (Samuel Toby)

And then there is Bubba Weiler, who rounds out the Kaleidoscope cast as FBI special agent Samuel Toby, a "by the books" investigator whose admiration for Abbasi could potentially lead to a major internal conflict with the power to change not only his career but his life in general.

Weiler's role on Kaleidoscope is one of his first major TV gigs, but this is far from being his first rodeo. Over the course of the past few years, Weiler has made brief appearances on shows like Pose, Murphy Brown (the 2018 reboot, Blue Bloods, The Good Fight, and Chicago P.D. Weiler also played Scorpius Malfoy during the 2020 run of the Broadway stage production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

All eight episodes of Kaleidoscope (which are color-coded) are now available to stream for anyone with a Netflix subscription, but please take note, there is more than one way to watch the inventive crime saga unfold. 

If you are looking for more shows to watch (not just those exclusive to Netflix) after watching Kaleidoscope (once, twice, or multiple times), check out our 2023 TV schedule for all the latest on those new and returning series that we'll all soon be talking about.

Stream Kaleidoscope on Netflix.

The Suicide Squad is set to be released this Friday, and while there are a number of things about the film that have been kept very hush-hush, one major aspect that is in no way a secret is that not everyone in the cast is going to make it out of the action alive. Writer/director James Gunn has made some notable promises about a significant body count generated from the large ensemble of DC characters, and fans everywhere are excited to find out who lives and who dies.

But what if their fates weren’t left in the hands of Gunn? What if instead each character in the new movie had the chance to choose their own ideal exit from the mortal coil? Well, by watching the video above you’ll discover what that version of The Suicide Squad might have looked like.

Late last month I had the pleasure of interviewing the cast of The Suicide Squad during the new blockbuster’s virtual press day, and I asked everyone the same spoiler-free question: if your character could choose their ideal death, what would it be? The answers I got were not only appropriate for each of the characters in question, but fun, diverse, and funny.

As you’d expect, there are a few blaze of glory options taken, but even within that there is still a certain variety. Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, for example, is looking to go down not unlike Al Pacino’s Tony Montana in Scarface, and Idris Elba envisions Bloodsport receiving a fatal blow only after a marathon on the battlefield that takes every ounce of strength out of him.

Both Daniela Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2 and Nathan Fillion’s T.D.K. would prefer to pass away peacefully in their sleep, which certainly makes them the most sensible members of the cast.

My favorite responses, though, are the super weird ones. David Dastmalchian sees the superlative death for Polka-Dot Man coming as a result of an overdose on Candy Dots, which would give him a nice little sugar high to counterbalance his depressive emotional state; John Cena sees Peacemaker going out in pure rock star fashion (leaving the rest to the imagination); and Mayling Ng feels that Mongal’s best ending would come as a result of her literally crushing a planet between her legs. And as for Flula Borg’s Javelin and Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang… you should really watch the video.

Starring all of the actors mentioned above along with Viola Davis, Sylvester Stallone, Alice Braga, Michael Rooker, Steve Agee, Peter Capaldi, Pete Davidson, and more, The Suicide Squad is arriving both in theaters and on HBO Max this Friday, August 6. The film is the best blockbuster we’ve seen thus far this summer, and one of the must-sees of 2021. Check it out, and be sure to head back here to CinemaBlend after, as we have plenty more fun content coming your way.

James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is almost here and has already created quite the buzz for itself. Even Harley Quinn herself, Margot Robbie, has called it the GOAT comic book film. On the other hand, the 2016 David Ayer-directed Suicide Squad has been maligned by critics and fans. Ayer has recently been on an emotional campaign to get justice for his cut of the movie after the studio greatly altered his original vision. Former stars of the original have voiced their support for Ayer as the release of James Gunn’s film draws closer. Now, Jai Courtney, who has now been a part of both movies, has explained how working on Gunn’s production compared to the 2016 film.

Comparisons between the two Suicide Squad films were inevitable. The 2016 movies has its fans, but like the theatrical cut of Justice League, it didn’t work too well. The new version is already garnering high praise from critics and the stars of the film. Jai Courtney comments to Comicbook.com do help shed light on the differences between the productions. During the interview, the actor said:

According to Jai Courtney, The Suicide Squad is certainly more adult than the 2016 film, which shouldn't be too surprising given the R-rating. All in all, Courtney's comments basically highlight the freedom that James Gunn was given to make a more mature movie. Coincidentally, the actor has already been teasing the R-rated violence of Gunn’s movie, and he has gone into more detail about how the director pushed the envelope with the film’s humor and violent action.

It's also great to hear that James Gunn gave the film a heart and soul through all the violence, allowing characters their due on an emotional level. Honestly, Gunn is excellent at creating emotional ties to characters to get the audience invested in the adventure. Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect example of how he can create a real connection between the various characters and the audience. It'll be intriguing to see how this takes shape in The Suicide Squad.

At this point, fans are already wondering/hoping James Gunn will do another DCEU movie after The Suicide Squad. Gunn has many options regarding future, which he's earned after having made unique big-screen stories for over a decade. But Gunn recently shared his desire for a Marvel and DC crossover movie, and the idea is pretty solid. But only time will tell if something like that will even be possible.

It's been great to see the positivity and enthusiasm James Gunn and the stars of The Suicide Squad have been expressing. And you best believe it's only going to keep fans more excited as we reach the final stretch before the movie's release.

The Suicide Squad hits theaters and HBO Max on August 6th.

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The DC Extended Universe’s last installment was Wonder Woman 1984, so fans can’t wait to dive back in with James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. The highly anticipated blockbuster will arrive in a matter of weeks, and will feature a handful of returning characters from David Ayer’s 2017 original. This includes Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang, with the actor recently teasing the R-rated violence that’s coming to theaters.

Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang was part of the original Task Force X, chewing the scenery throughout the course of Daivd Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Fans were thrilled to see him returning in James Gunn’s upcoming DC debut, and it sounds like his boomerangs might be more deadly this time around. Courtney spoke about the upcoming movie’s contents, saying;

Color me intrigued. It sounds like James Gunn and company really earned the R-rating for The Suicide Squad. Luckily for the fans, it won’t be long before we can see all the grisly battle sequences ourselves, balanced with real heart. Is it August yet?

Jai Courtney’s comments to Variety is sure to make the final wait for The Suicide Squad all the more painful. Everyone involved in the project has praised James Gunn’s unique vision, and the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker has been open about how Warner Bros. let him have creative freedom. And that includes the way he handles violence.

The Suicide Squad is hitting HBO Max at the same time as theaters. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

James Gunn is a filmmaker who is known for putting his perspective into film projects. Everything from his taste in music, dance moves, and sense of humor have been used in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. And considering how much Gunn loves the characters of The Suicide Squad, the sky’s the limit regarding his vision. Literally, because the villain is a giant kaiju named Starro.

The original Suicide Squad was rated PG-13, so the violence was pretty tame throughout its runtime. But James Gunn won’t be held down by this, and his past in the horror genre should result in some wild, bloody kills. Gunn has been open about how there will be plenty of character deaths, with the movie’s massive cast providing plenty of meat shields for the more important characters.

The Suicide Squad will arrive in theaters on August 6th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Later this year, the titular Suicide Squad will be reborn with James Gunn's upcoming standalone sequel/soft reboot, The Suicide Squad. While David Ayer's 2016 film wasn't wildly praised, it grossed a whole lot of money at the box office, primarily thanks to its splashy marketing and its all-star ensemble, which includes Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney, Viola Davis, Cara Delevingne, and Jared Leto. It's certainly a lively cast of characters, though only a few will return for the DCEU's newest cinematic installment.

While this new movie will disregard a lot of elements from the original, including a few key characters, there's still a loyal fanbase for David Ayer's first film, and they're likely wondering what the Suicide Squad team is up to. If that's the case, we're here to help!

Here's what the cast of 2016's Suicide Squad is doing now.

Will Smith (Floyd Lawton/Deadshot)

In the role of Floyd Lawton, better known as Deadshot, an expert marksman and assassin, Will Smith plays the lead character in this ensemble piece. Having risen to fame for his starring role in NBC's The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith became one of the biggest movie stars on the planet for Independence Day, the Men in Black trilogy, Hitch, the Bad Boys series, I, Robot, I Am Legend, Hancock, and Aladdin (2019). He was also Oscar-nominated for his lead performances in Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.

Most recently, Will Smith starred in Bad Boys For Life, which he also produced. Next, he'll star in King Richard, and he's currently signed on — or rumored — to appear in a variety of other movies, including Emancipation, The Council, Bad Boys 4, Aladdin 2, and a remake of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Also, Smith filmed Quibi's reality TV series, This Joka, but its status is unknown after the company folded last year. Outside of acting, the actor/producer/rapper also keeps active on his YouTube page.

Margot Robbie (Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn)

As Dr. Harleen Quinzel, an Arkham Asylum psychiatrist seduced by The Joker and transformed into Harley Quinn, Margot Robbie gave the standout performance in Suicide Squad. Aside from this scene-stealing role, Robbie is known for her Oscar-nominated performances in I, Tonya and Bombshell. She's also known for The Wolf of Wall Street, Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood, Mary Queen of Scots, The Legend of Tarzan, Focus, About Time, Z for Zachariah, Terminal, and The Big Short.

Last year, Margot Robbie reprised her role as Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, which she also produced. This year, she'll return in The Suicide Squad. Most recently, Robbie starred in and produced Dreamland. She also produced December's Promising Young Woman and will be heard in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Currently, she's working on the newest film from writer-director David O. Russell, is expected to star in Barbie, and will possibly lead Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean reboot.

Joel Kinnaman (Col. Rick Flag)

Playing the part of Col. Rick Flag, the militant leader of Task Force X, Joel Kinnaman took on a no-nonsense character in Suicide Squad. Outside of this film, Kinnaman is known for his television roles in The Killing, Altered Carbon, Hanna, and House of Cards. On the big screen, meanwhile, Kinnaman is recognizable for RoboCop (2014), the Easy Money movies, Safe House, Lola Versus, Run All Night, Child 44, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), and the Johan Falk series.

Most recently, Kinnaman starred in Brothers by Blood and The Informer. He was also recently seen in The Secrets We Keep and Apple TV+'s For All Mankind. Next, Kinnaman reprises his role as Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad. The actor will also return for the second season of For All Mankind.

Viola Davis (Amanda Waller)

In the role of Amanda Waller, the government official who gives The Suicide Squad their orders, Viola Davis plays a devious supporting character in DC's blockbuster. As one of our most accomplished performers working today, complete with two Tonys, an Emmy, and an Oscar to her name, there's no denying that Davis is a supreme talent. She's well-known and acclaimed for her work in Fences, Doubt, The Help, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder, Widows, Out of Sight, Antwone Fisher, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Eat Pray Love, Won't Back Down, Prisoners, Ender's Game, Blackhat, Far From Heaven, and Get On Up.

Most recently, Viola Davis starred in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Troop Zero. Next, Davis reprises her role as Amanda Waller in The Suicide Squad. Additionally, Davis stars in Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Woman King and Nora Fingscheidt's untitled new movie. She's also signed on to play Michelle Obama in Showtime's anthology series, First Ladies.

Jai Courtney (George “Digger” Harkness/Captain Boomerang)

As George "Digger" Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang, an outspoken thief with deadly boomerangs, Jai Courtney gave one of his liveliest performances in Suicide Squad. Courtney is also known for his starring roles in A Good Day to Die Hard and Terminator Genisys. He also played prominent supporting roles in Jack Reacher, I, Frankenstein, the Divergent series, Felony, Unbroken, Man Down, The Water Diviner, and Alita: Battle Angel. Additionally, he had a leading part in The Exception, and recurring roles in Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.

Most recently, Jail Courtney starred in Netflix's Stateless. He was also seen in Honest Thief and Buffaloed, and heard in 100% Wolf. Next, Courtney reprises his role for The Suicide Squad. He'll also soon be seen in Jolt and heard in Scarygirl.

Jay Hernandez (Chato Santana/El Diablo)

As Chato Santana, i.e. El Diablo, known for his flame-summoning powers, Jay Hernadez gave a fiery performance in Suicide Squad. Most notably, Hernandez is known for Crazy/Beautiful, the Bad Moms movies, the Hostel films, and Friday Night Lights (2004). His other notable credits include Bright, Lakeside Terrace, Max, Toy Story 4, World Trade Center, Quarantine, Max, Takers, Grindhouse, Joy Ride, Torque, Ladder 49, and Carlito's Way: Rise to Power. He also appeared in Scandal Season 7, as well as episodes of Nashville, Six Degrees, and Last Resort. Currently, Jay Hernandez stars in CBS's Magnum P.I. reboot.

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Waylon Jones/Killer Croc)

In the role of Waylon Jones, a.k.a. Killer Croc, a cannibalistic metahuman with reptilian features, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje plays a memorable supporting character in this ensemble piece. Outside of this performance, the British actor is also known for Oz, Lost, The Bourne Identity, Thor: The Dark World, Concussion, and the fifth season of Game of Thrones. His other notable credits include The Thing (2011), Annie (2014), The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Get Rich or Die Tryin', Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, The Mummy Returns, Faster, and Congo. Additionally, Akinnuoye-Agbaje can be heard in Watership Down and Bilal.

Most recently, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje was seen in Wetlands, and heard in Moominvalley and Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. Outside of acting, he made his feature screenwriting and directorial debut with 2019's Farming.

Cara Delevingne (Dr. June Moone/Enchantress)

As Dr. June Moone, an archaeologist who's possessed by an ancient force that transforms her into the host of a powerful sorceress known as Enchantress, Cara Delevigne plays a layered antagonistic force in Suicide Squad. Previously a model, Delevigne continues to expand as an actress, notably with starring roles in Paper Towns and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. She also has prominent supporting parts in Anna Karenina (2012), Her Smell, Pan, Tulip Fever, London Fields, and The Face of an Angel. Additionally, Delevigne plays a lead role in Amazon's Carnival Row.

Most recently, Cara Delevingne starred in Life in a Year. Next, the actress is expected to star in Punk. Additionally, Delevigne will be hosting BBC Three's documentary series, Planet Sex. Outside of acting, Delevigne directed Rainsford's "Crying in the Mirror" music video.

Jared Leto (The Joker)

Playing the part of The Joker, the psychopathic crime boss who terrorizes Gotham, Jared Leto gave a controversial portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime. First gaining recognition for his performance in My So-Called Life, Leto became an Oscar winner for his supporting turn in Dallas Buyers Club, though he's also well-known for his work in Requiem for a Dream, Fight Club, Panic Room, American Psycho, Lord of War, Blade Runner 2049, Girl, Interrupted, Alexander, Chapter 27, and Urban Legend. Additionally, outside of acting, Leto is the lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for 30 Seconds to Mars. He also directed 2012's Artifact, the documentary series, Into the Wild, and this year's A Day in the Life of America.

Next, Jared Leto stars in The Little Things, and he reprises his role as The Joker in Zack Snyder's Justice League. He'll also play the title character in Morbius, and is reportedly attached to Ridley Scott's Gucci, Disney's Tron 3, and an upcoming Andy Warhol biopic.

Adam Beach (Christopher Weiss/Slipknot)

In the role of Christopher Weiss, i.e. Slipknot, the man who can climb anything, Adam Beach is all-too-briefly seen in Suicide Squad. Away from this performance, Beach is known for his work in Smoke Signals, Walker Texas Ranger, Flags of Our Fathers, Windtalkers, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and Law & Order: SVU. Some of the actor's other notable credits include Hostiles, Juanita, Squanto: A Warrior's Tale, Dance Me Outside, Skinwalkers, My Indian Summer, and The CW's Nancy Drew.

Most recently, Adam Beach was seen in The New Mutants and an episode of The Good Doctor. Next, he appears in Percy, The Unhealer, Monkey Beach, and The Power of the Dog. Currently, the actor is in production on Swan Song.

Karen Fukuhara (Tatsu Yamashiro/Katana)

As Tatsu Yamashiro, also known as Katana, a widowed expert martial arts and swordswoman, Karen Fukuhara plays a badass side character in Suicide Squad. This comic book blockbuster was Fukuhara's acting debut, and she has found a few notable follow-up projects in the years since its release.

Currently, Karen Fukuhara is a series regular on Amazon Prime's The Boys. She also voices the titular character in Netflix's Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, and has a recurring voice role in Craig of the Creek. Additionally, the actress was part of the main cast for Netflix's She-Ra and the Princess of Power and she was recently heard in Bobbleheads: The Movie. At the moment, Fukuhara is shooting Bullet Train.

Ike Barinholtz (Capt. Hunter Griggs)

As Capt. Hunter Griggs, an officer at Belle Reve's Special Security Barracks, Ike Barinholtz is a notable supporting character in Suicide Squad. The actor-comedian is best known for his work on MADtv, The Mindy Project, and Eastbound & Down. His other notable credits include the Neighbors franchise, Blockers, Late Night, Snatched, Sisters, Bright, The Angry Birds Movie, and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part. Additionally, Barinholtz co-wrote 2016's Central Intelligence and wrote, directed, produced, and starred in 2018's The Oath.

Most recently, Ike Barinholtz was seen in The Hunt, and will soon appear in Amy Poehler's Moxie. Additionally, Barinholtz stars in Apple TV+'s upcoming dark comedy series, The Afterparty.

Are you excited for The Suicide Squad? Let us know in the comments!

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The DC Extended Universe is an ever growing place, and there are a slew of highly anticipated movies coming down the pipeline. Chief among the is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which will be a reboot/sequel to David Ayer's original 2017 movie. Gunn assembled a massive, star-studded cast to bring the story to life, featuring a handful of returning characters. Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang will be back, although he recently admitted to missing some of the group that won't appear in The Suicide Squad.

David Ayer's Suicide Squad had some killer talent attached that will not be appearing in James Gunn's follow up, including Will Smith, Jared Leto, Cara Delevingne, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Fans are eager to catch up with Jai Courtney's twisted Captain Boomerang, especially with exciting updates to his signature weapons. Courtney recently spoke abut the highly anticipated blockbuster, saying:

Captain Boomerang has spoken. Jai Courtney's comments are just the latest praising what James Gunn brought to the table with his DC debut. And while he missed the co-stars from Suicide Squad who weren't written into the story, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker did bring a huge group of newcomers together, including some A+ talent.

Jai Courtney's talked The Suicide Squad during a conversation with Collider for his new movie Honest Thief. Eventually the conversation turned to his time in the DC Extended Universe, where the 34 year-old actor shared his thoughts about the movie's cast. And specifically, the lack of certain characters like Katana and Killer Croc.

DC fans can re-watch the original Suicide Squad over on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

While Jai Courtney admitted to missing some of his co-stars while working on The Suicide Squad, there's a massive group of newcomers joining the franchise in James Gunn's movie. The group is mostly unknown villains from DC lore, with talent attached including Idris Elba, John Cena, Taika Waititi, Alice Braga, and Michael Rooker.

Later in his same interview, Jai Courtney spoke to the storytelling potential that comes with this huge cast of characters in The Suicide Squad. After all, movie's title teases how dangerous Task Force X's mission will be, and smart money says a number of them will bite the dust throughout the course of its runtime. Courtney further explained his thoughts on the movie, saying:

The Suicide Squad certainly has a lot going for it, so it should be fun to see what tricks James Gunn has up his sleeve for the DC Extended Universe. The Guardians of the Galaxy director has spoken highly about the process, professing the movie was the biggest and most fun project he's worked on thus far. And considering his history adapting scrappy unknown comic book characters for the big screen, Gunn certainly seems like the right man for the job.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6, 2021. In the meantime, check our our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

Jai Courtney made his supervillain debut in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad as Captain Boomerang back in 2016. But that’s not the last we’ll see him; he’s set to return to James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. So assuming he makes it out alive in that movie, would he also appear in a Flash movie? He’s got a few thoughts about that.

If you recall, Jai Courtney’ Captain Boomerang and Ezra Miller’s The Flash run into each other at the beginning of Suicide Squad, where Captain Boomerang is in the middle of a heist when The Flash captures him. But that’s the last of their interactions on the big screen. Jai Courtney recently spoke with Screen Rant about whether there’s a chance he would face off against The Flash in the future. Here’s what he said:

It would be great to bring this back full circle and have Captain Boomerang face off against The Flash again in some kind of rematch. That scene was so short with very little conflict and tension that almost demands a do-over. Perhaps the best chance that’ll happen is in the upcoming Flash movie in development.

The Flash movie is only just getting back on its feet with IT director Andy Muschietti taking the reins. It has had a long history of delays with a number of directors leaving the project over creative differences. But things seemed to be heading in the right direction with Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck reportedly signing on to the project. It looks like DC is adamant to make the movie happen.

Right now, all signs are pointing to the moving being an adaptation of the highly influential Flashpoint comic. While the main villain in that is the Reverse-Flash, there’s no reason Captain Boomerang couldn’t show up as well to team up with the Reverse-Flash against Barry Allen.

Plus, it’s always a good sign that they brought Jai Courtney back to appear in The Suicide Squad. Again, assuming his character can survive that movie (I'm holding out hope that he does), it would be awesome to see him again in the Flash movie. For more movie news, be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

In his budding career in Hollywood, Jai Courtney has mostly played action heroes, like Jack McClane in A Good Day to Die Hard. and Kyle Reese in Terminator: Genisys. And while he’s also played a few complicated villains in the past, the new Liam Neeson-led thriller Honest Thief features him as a bona fide evil villain, and he recently gave us the lowdown on why he wanted to take on that kind of a role.

Most recently Jai Courtney is known for his short role as Captain Boomerang in Suicide Squad, and while the character qualifies as a villain, he's not exactly what you might call downright evil. In Honest Theif Jai Courtney is making a step into a much darker place. He recently spoke with CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb, and when asked what led him to the role he said,

Other than playing Boomerang in Suicide Squad, you may recall that Jai Courtney also tangled with Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher, and played the villainous character Eric in the Divergent series. Eric was particularly ruthless in his own right, but it sounds like Courtney takes that mood to a whole new level in Honest Thief.

Even though he doesn’t take on the hardcore villain role too often, Jai Courtney admitted that it’s oddly easier to do than the conflicted anti-hero. He said later in the same interview,

You can watch Jai Courtney discuss his Honest Thief role by clicking play on the video below:

In Honest Thief, Liam Neeson plays Tom Carter, a thief who wants to come clean and pay back $9 million he stole. But when corrupt FBI agents take the money and frame him for murder, he decides to get revenge with a particular set of explosive skills. Jai Courtney plays Agent Nivens, one of the corrupt federal agents.

On top of this villainous role, Jai Courtney has been confirmed to be returning to play Captain Boomerang in James Gunn’s upcoming The Suicide Squad. But, considering the body count might be kind of high in that movie, who knows if his character will make it out alive. We’ll just have to wait and find out.

As for Honest Thief, you’ll be able to see Jai Courtney’s evil Agent Nivens when the movie releases this week on October 16, 2020. For more movie news, be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Everyone knows Liam Neeson has a particular set of skills, including playing dangerous characters who are good at getting revenge. He’s battled plenty of villains and won, but what if Neeson went up against the Suicide Squad? It’s a question for the ages, and one The Suicide Squad’s Jai Courtney has thoughts about.

Liam Neeson’s played the old badass who cracks skulls and takes names long enough to be considered a premiere boogeyman in the cinematic canon; very little stops him. But would he survive if the Suicide Squad came after him? Recently, CinemaBlend’s own Jeff McCobb spoke with Jai Courtney about his latest movie, Honest Thief, which also stars Liam Neeson, and presented this question to him. Here’s what Courtney had to say:

I have to admit, I’d watch that movie. It seems silly at first, but when you really think about it, many of Liam Neeson’s action characters are nigh-superheroes in their own right, especially Bryan Mills from Taken.

Though his early career included classic dramas like Schindler’s List, since totally crushing it with Taken, Liam Neeson has increasingly appeared in action movies featuring an old man underdog driven by revenge who's forced to take the law into his own hands and willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants.

No surprise here, Liam Neeson is at it again. This time in the upcoming movie Honest Thief, co-starring Jai Courtney, Anthony Ramos and Kate Walsh, Liam Neeson’s character, Tom Carter, wants to make amends for his crimes by paying back $9 million, but a group of corrupt FBI agents take the money and frame him for murder. Little do they know that Tom Carter is a former Marine with demolitions training, and he’s coming for them.

Of course, on top of appearing in Honest Thief, Jai Courtney is returning to play Captain Boomerang in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. So if by some miracle Liam Neeson took the fight against the Suicide Squad, Jai Courtney’s character would be in his crosshairs. Lucky for Jai Courtney, the chances of that happening are next to none.

You can listen to Jai Courtney's full comments concerning Liam Neeson below.

While Liam Neeson fans won’t get to see that kind of fight, they can catch him in Honest Thief when it releases on October 16. For more movie news, be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

It was an Instagram post that launched 1,000 fan theories. Alita: Battle Angel co-star Jai Courtney took to Instagram a few months back and posted a photograph of himself in a full motion-capture suit. That would be strange enough, but it was the message shared by Courtney that got Alita fans fired up. He wrote, “Testing my new pair of rollerblades.” It had to mean that he was working on mo-cap for another go in the world of Alita: Battle Angel… right?

Not exactly. We were able to speak to Jai Courtney recently about his upcoming Liam Neeson thriller The Honest Thief, but the topic of his mo-cap tease came up. When asked to clarify if this was a message of hope to the Alita Army, Courtney confessed:

Well, that sucks. Not for the creators of Love Death + Robots. That sci-fi animation anthology series on Netflix got some work out of Jai Courtney during a pandemic. But it is a knock to the hopes and dreams of the fans who saw the following Instagram post and thought that the wheels were starting to turn on an Alita: Battle Angel sequel.

Where does all of this Alita: Battle Angel sequel talk come from? Robert Rodriguez’s adaptation of the classic Manga sci-fi thriller has built up quite a loyal fanbase since opening in theaters in 2019. The film earned $404 million in worldwide ticket sales, but talks at the studio level with regard to a follow up film have been sparse.

That hasn’t stopped online social media warriors dubbed the Alita Army from openly campaigning on behalf of the franchise, often hosting trending events meant to show the studio how much this fanbase wants to see the continuation of their hero’s story. It helps that Robert Rodriguez’s Alita: Battle Angel literally ends on a cliffhanger-tease of where the story should be going. So you have to wonder what is holding things up.

The movement to secure an Alita: Battle Angel sequel has gained momentum this year, with the group notching a serious win in theater chains agreeing to bring the film back to screens following the fanbase’s vocal demands. But this confirmation from Jai Courtney means that no fresh work is taking place on the sequel (as far as he knows), so it will be up to the Alita Army to maintain pressure and keep spreading awareness for their worthy cause.

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The DC Extended Universe has a had a unique life in theaters, and Warner Bros. continues to keep the public on its collective toes. One of the most hotly anticipated movies coming down the pipeline is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which will be a soft reboot to David Ayer's original 2017 movie. A handful of returning actors are reprising their roles, including Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang. And that very actor recently explained how Gunn used the first movie as a launching pad.

The Suicide Squad is already a unique movie, as its building off of 2017's Suicide Squad while also telling a new story with a largely new cast. James Gunn is known for his unique director's vision, which brought great success to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. Jai Courtney will be back playing Captain Boomerang, and shared how this transition of characters occurred on the set of Gunn's DC debut. Courtney spoke about his second time playing this character, saying:

James Gunn is a filmmaker with an attention to detail and deep love for comic books. He chose to work on The Suicide Squad because of his passion for Task Force X, including none other than Captain Boomerang. As such, it sounds like he was able to jump into the DCEU and leave room for the returning actors to lead the way in regards to characterization.

The original Suicide Squad movie is currently streaming over on HBO Max. You can use this link to sing up for the streaming service.

Later in Jai Courtney's same conversation with ComingSoon, the 34 year-old actor explained how The Suicide Squad being directed and written by a new team led by James Gunn isn't totally unique to that property. Many franchises have a changing of the guard, with the returning cast working with a new set of collaborators. As Courtney explained,

That's certainly a good way of looking at it. Rather than having a David Ayer-shaped hole in the room, it looks like Jai Courtney went into The Suicide Squad ready to roll with the punches and have a different experience. And since James Gunn is a filmmaker known or adding his sense of humor, taste in music, and even dance moves to his films, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker likely made this transition especially easy.

It should be interesting to see how Captain Boomerang changes or grows in The Suicide Squad when it hits theaters next summer. The roll call and set video from DC Fandome showed that the villain's signature weapons are glowing in the new movie. Do they also have new abilities? Only time will tell.

The Suicide Squad is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your other trips to the movies next year.

It’s been six years since Liam Neeson’s Taken series delivered its cinematic finale with with 2014’s Taken 3. The end of his Bryan Mills character’s journey to kick as much ass as possible, there’s been quite a few movies that have tried match up to the experience of that storied franchise.  And yet, it feels like Neeson’s latest film, Honest Thief, is the heir apparent to the Taken series. Namely because it pits Liam Neeson against some pretty bad dudes, in a quest for redemption and revenge. See it for yourself in the trailer below:

Honest Thief sees Neeson’s protagonist, Tom Carter, ready to pay back the $9 million he’s stolen throughout a career in crime. Turning himself into law enforcement, he’s ready to do his time, and go straight for the woman he loves (The Umbrella Academy’s Kate Walsh.) There’s just one, huge problem: a pair of dirty agents (Hamilton’s Anthony Ramos and The Suicide Squad’s Jai Courtney) want to make off with the money for themselves and frame Carter with a murder to make sure he can’t stop them. That was their first mistake, and it could be a fatal one.

As it turns out, Honest Thief Tom Carter is really Thomas Dolan, and he does indeed have a particular set of skills. Like, a retired Marine with demolitions training worth of skills. Not even trying to kill his girlfriend is going to turn him away from taking the fight to those who would do him harm. And oh boy, does it look rad as hell, especially considering how director Mark Williams’ film is looking like it’ll be available to greet returning theatrical audiences in October.

It’s times like these, when people are really looking forward to, hopefully, getting back out into the world, that movies like Honest Thief tend to have the most impact. This is a familiar looking caper, for sure, as Liam Neeson and revenge go hand in hand. But the sheer excitement that comes across in this trailer is, undeniably, a warm blanked of action intrigue that recalls some of Neeson’s greatest career hits.

Not to mention, audiences who have recently discovered (or rediscovered) Anthony Ramos’ talent thanks to the Disney+ debut of Hamilton are going to love seeing him in action, alongside another action fixture, Jai Courtney. But seeing as how Ramos is a dirty agent who wants to retire Liam Neeson’s Honest Thief character for good, this is a particular duel people might want him to lose on the big screen. Honest Thief looks ready to kick all sorts of ass at the movies, and as it’s looking to hit theaters on October 9th, complete with a new and particular set of skills on public, violent display, the excitement couldn’t be more intense.

While he went uncredited in his role for director Robert Rodriguez’ Alita: Battle Angel, actor Jai Courtney’s participation in the role of Motorball athlete Jashugan was predicated on one simple premise.Courtney’s moments on screen were short and sweet in this first film, but Rodriguez possibly wanted someone he could trust to play the role in a more major context in a possible sequel. It’s this knowledge that has fans of Alita: Battle Angel all fired up, after seeing Jai Courtney posting the following motion capture photo, with a pretty cryptic caption:

Sharing this interesting look on Instagram, along with a mention of trying on some new rollerblades for this mystery project, it wasn’t long before people started connecting the imaginary dots. Surely, if Jai Courtney is back on rollerblades and in a mocap get up, this could be at the very least part of a pitch reel for Alita: Fallen Angel, right? Those promises of new action being fulfilled would make for a good start, and Motorball is meant to be important to the next phase in Alita: Battle Angel’s story progression.

As Jai Courtney’s social media antics came shortly before Robert Rodriguez himself recently offering the details about how he pitched Alita: Battle Angel with producer James Cameron, it’s harder not to think about how this mysterious project could be some sort of building block to an Alita sequel. However, there is something else interesting to consider, as another recently mocapped star has inadvertently linked himself to Courtney’s recent activity.

Tha post that fueled Alita: Battle Angel speculation was, coincidentally, also liked by Justice League actor/Dungeons and Dragons geek Joe Manganiello. Or at least, it would seem coincidental if it wasn’t for the fact that a couple days after Jai Courtney posted his big mocap photo, Manganiello himself posted a similar image. Which was also liked by Jai Courtney:

Now there’s the possibility that with Joe Manganiello and Jai Courtney sharing the DC Extended Universe in their respective resumes, this mocap shoot could be for something related to that realm. However, much like it wouldn’t exactly be necessary for Captain Boomerang to be mocapped on roller skates, Deathstroke isn’t the rollerblading type. So there’s three big possibilities here: either Courtney and Manganiello are doing motion capture for an Alita: Fallen Angel pitch reel, they’re doing some sort of work on a DCEU project to be announced, or they’re both working on projects that could be unrelated and unconnected to anything mentioned here.

Still, the possibility of Jai Courtney getting to bring Jashugan back to life for an Alita: Battle Angel linked project is enough to keep the internet speculating. And potentially bringing Joe Manganiello on board means that the fun could only grow. We’ll have to wait and see how this particular tease pans out, but in the meantime, you can watch Alita: Battle Angel on HBO Max, and read our exclusive coverage on how the Alita Army is pushing for that dream sequel to become a reality.

The dystopian young adult novel series genre has given birth to a number of big stars and Divergent is no exception. Based on the trilogy of books by Veronica Roth, the film and its sequels, about a teen whose condition makes her unfit to live in any of the five separate factions her post-apocalyptic society is divided into, made household names out of stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, to name a few, who have since diverged relatively far from their franchise counterparts.

What about the rest of the cast? Of course, Kate Winslet and Ashley Judd were already big-time, award-winning stars before starring in Divergent and Zoë Kravitz is everywhere now, but I cannot recall, for instance, the last place I saw Theo James. Not to mention, it has been a while since Jai Courtney has shown up in five movies a year. What’s happening there?

For those who have not been keeping up with the cast of your other favorite YA Novel movie adaptation, I think I can help fill in the gaps. The following is a rundown of the Divergent actors’ careers since they went factionless.

Shailene Woodley (Tris Prior)

After making waves on the teen drama The Secret Life of the American Teenager and 2011 film The Descendants, Shailene Woodley led the cast of Divergent as Tris Prior, a teen born with the titular affliction that makes her a threat to her dystopian society. She has remained a major threat in Hollywood since, playing Edward Snowden's lover in Oliver Stone's biopic, earning her second Golden Globe nomination for HBO hit Big Little Lies, and braving the desolate ocean in the 2018's Adrift.

In addition to being brave for the ocean in collaboration with Greenpeace and helping victims of anxiety with her own charity, Woodley has a number of exciting acting projects in the works, including the 1960s London-set romance Last Letter from Your Lover and voicing her first animated character as the lead in ScaryGirl, alongside Divergent alum Jai Courtney.

Theo James (Four)

English actor Theo James became known to American audiences as Tobias "Four" Eaton in Divergent and, yet he never had a role quite as big as the Dauntless member with a serious crush on Tris Prior. Despite this, he has been a part of numerous high-profile projects, including many Netflix original properties such as post-apocalyptic action film How It Ends and a trio of fantasy series: The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, The Witcher, and Castlevania. Additionally, in 2018, he starred in a musical audio drama adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, landed the male lead role of a 2019 Masterpiece Theater rendition of Jane Austen's Sandition, and recently wrapped filming on Archive, scheduled to release in 2021, in which he plays an engineer developing a human-like AI.

Kate Winslet (Jeanine Matthews)

When she joined the cast of Divergent, Kate Winslet was, essentially, the biggest name attached to the project, mostly due to her unforgettable role in one of the biggest cinematic hits of all time, Titanic. After her character, the ruthless Erudite leader Jeanine Matthews, met a bitter end in the 2015 sequel Insurgent, the Oscar-winner received her seventh nod from the Academy as Johanna Howard in Steve Jobs, tried to help Will Smith get over his grief in 2016's Collateral Beauty, and struggled to survive the wildness with Idris Elba in The Mountain Between Us, to name a few. In the future, the English actor will be seen in a 19th Century romance with Saoirse Ronan in Ammonite, provide the voice of the equestrian title character of a Black Beauty reboot, and is reuniting with James Cameron for Avatar 2.

Ansel Elgort (Caleb Prior)

While he played Shailene Woodley's brother in the Divergent films, Ansel Elgort's biggest claim to fame at time would be playing her lover in The Fault in Our Stars the following year. Yet, the 26-year-old has since grown out of young adult novel adaptations (mostly), especially after playing the lead of Edgar Wright's dazzling action thriller Baby Driver: a role that also allowed him to show off his lesser-known musicianship, which director Steven Spielberg put to the ultimate test in his remake of West Side Story, which is set to come in December 2020. Other than continuing to moonlight as a rapper, Elgort is preparing for his first television role as the lead in the drama series Tokyo Vice and starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and Zendaya in the crime thriller Finest Kind.

Miles Teller (Peter Hayes)

Another actor who has been romantically involved with Shailene Woodley (onscreen, that is) is Miles Teller, whose relationship with her character in 2013's The Spectacular Now is a far cry from Tris Prior's relationship with Peter Hayes, a hot-headed Dauntless transfer and one of Divergent's main antagonists. At least it was a role that the Whiplash star could have channeled his own personal distaste for the material into and would pave the way for more grounded projects, such as boxer Vinny Pazienza in sports biopic Bleed for This, a solider suffering from PTSD in Thank You for Your Service, and a first responder taking on a historic wildfire in Only the Brave. Teller will appear in, arguably, his biggest role to date as the son of Goose in Top Gun: Maverick and reunite with Woodley in After Exile, playing a man guilty of manslaughter who seeks redemption.

Zoë Kravitz (Christina)

Like Peter Hayes, Christina (played Zoë Kravitz) also transferred from the Candor faction to Dauntless, but, unlike Peter, she happened to get along very well with Tris Prior. The daughter of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet, who has also dabbled in making music as the frontwoman of two bands in the past decade, has only gotten bigger since starring in Divergent, from playing a refugee slave wife in Mad Max: Fury Road, Leta Lestrange in the Fantastic Beasts series, and sharing the screen once again with Shailene Woodley in the scandalous HBO drama Big Little Lies. Other than starring as the gender-flipped lead of the Hulu original series adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel High Fidelity, Kravitz recently followed in her step-father, Jason Momoa's, footsteps by being cast as an iconic DC character, Catwoman, in Matt Reeves' highly anticipated reboot, The Batman.

Ben Lloyd-Hughes (Will)

Christina’s love interest, who actually sacrificed his own life for Tris Prior's benefit, was a former Erudite transfer name Will, played by Ben Lloyd-Hughes. Divergent is easily the British actor's biggest role to date, particularly to American audiences, despite a plentiful filmography following the dystopian hit, such starring alongside Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin in the charming romantic drama Me Before You, playing Florence Pugh's brother in the Netflix exclusive horror thriller Malevolent, and appearing as various characters in the made-for-TV Oscar Wilde biopic The Importance of Being Oscar. Lloyd-Hughes recently wrapped filming The King's Daughter, also staring Pierce Brosnan and his Skins co-star Kaya Scodelario, and is preparing for a role in a miniseries called Industry, which is set during the aftermath of the 2008 economic collapse.

Maggie Q (Tori)

The first person to learn of Tris’ divergence is Tori, played by Maggie Q, who was certified badass long before Divergent, from her amusing henchwoman role in Live Free or Die Hard and playing the titular assassin of TV series Nikita. The Hawaiian actress moved on to play characters less involved with physical combat (in live action projects, specifically), such as on the ABC political drama Designated Survivor and Blumhouse's reboot of Fantasy Island, but she kicks plenty of butt from the comfort of a recording studio as the voice of Wonder Woman on the beloved animated series Young Justice. She will explore various kinds of genres in future films, including horror thriller Death of Me, a comedy about a couple's obsessed with settling their dispute called The Argument, and Long Gone Heroes, a war film also set to star Guy Pearce and Sir Ben Kingsley.

Jai Courtney (Eric)

Since and (even before) playing the sadistic Dauntless inductee trainer Eric in the Divergent series until his demise in the second chapter, Jai Courtney has seemingly been on a steadily committed journey to join the legacy of as many film franchises as possible, playing John McClane's secret agent son in A Good Day to Die Hard, landing a small role opposite Tom Cruise in Jack Reacher, and filling the role of Kyle Reese in Terminator Genisys along the way. In what is arguably his most fitting role to date, the Aussie actor will reprise DC villain Captain Boomerang in The Suicide Squad, which director James Gunn has described as neither a sequel nor a reboot, and will voice Dr. Maybee in the Shailene Woodley led animated film Scarygirl.

Are you now eager to revisit Divergent again, or are you just eager to seek out the cast’s further endeavors? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for more information on the sci-fi series and updates on actors from your favorite movies and TV shows here on CinemaBlend.

James Gunn’s upcoming take on The Suicide Squad is still a rare and puzzling film production. It follows David Ayer’s 2016 blockbuster hit and will feature four of the same characters, yet it’s also been called a “reboot.” Not to mention the title, which certainly doesn’t have a number two next to it. Among those returning to the Task Force X crew is Jai Courtney’s gold-toothed Captain Boomerang. Here’s what the actor said about his character:

There you have it. Jai Courtney’s version of Captain Boomerang hasn’t been dramatically changed much at all. He’ll still be up to his typical wrongdoings and delivering comedic one-liners, but he’ll be part of a movie helmed by Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn and have a lot more baddies to team up with.

To stay cohesive in the DC Extended Universe, wouldn’t it be strange if Jai Courtney’s Boomerang had a completely different vibe to him with his return? If James Gunn decided to bring back this version of Captain Boomerang, he liked what he saw in the original film and had an idea about how to continue his onscreen story.

Joining Jai Courtney from David Ayer’s first film is Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag and Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller. Aside from those four, The Suicide Squad is packed with new talent including John Cena, Nathan Fillion, Pete Davidson, Taika Waititi, Peter Capaldi, Michael Rooker and Idris Elba.

In Jai Courtney’s interview with ET, he was also asked whether The Suicide Squad (which began production in Atlanta a couple weeks ago) felt like a continuation of a journey or a new experience. In his words:

Sounds like the new set has Jai Courtney feeling confident about returning to his Captain Boomerang role! He describes a nice balance between feeling back at home with the character and having a fresh take from James Gunn to keep the franchise on track. The actor has previously described the upcoming movie as “tonally different” than the original.

But, The Suicide Squad is almost two years away from release. James Gunn is filming early so he can move to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 directly after for an undisclosed release date, presumably in the Phase Five slate. The Suicide Squad will come to theaters on August 6, 2021.

Until then, DC fans will have plenty to keep them pumped. Joker is now in theaters, Birds of Prey will see the return of Harley Quinn next February and Wonder Woman 1984 comes in summer 2020!

Are you excited for The Suicide Squad? Sound off in the comments below!

The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating life in theaters, with Warner Bros. shown to keep its cards close to the chest before revealing the plans for each new release. One of these surprising announcements was The Suicide Squad, a sequel to David Ayer's original villain-centric blockbuster. Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker James Gunn will behind the camera for this one, featuring a mixture of new and returning characters. Jai Courtney will be back playing Flash villain Captain Boomerang, and recently spoke to the different tone Gunn will be taking with the franchise.

While the movie's title might leave something to be desired, The Suicide Squad is one of the most hotly anticipated upcoming DC releases. James Gunn has shown his ability to balance a quirky ensemble cast of comic book characters before, making the Guardians some of Marvel's most popular characters overnight. Jai Courtney recently teased how different Gunn's direction will be from David Ayer, saying:

While Jai Courtney would be happy to work with David Ayer again, he certainly seems excited to be working with James Gunn. Gunn has become a household name through his work on the Guardians movies, which is one of the most unique superhero franchises of all time. Courtney calls the director's work "prolific", so let's hope that Captain Boomerang gets a fair shake in the upcoming The Suicide Squad.

Related: Jai Courtney Teases Captain Boomerang’s Return In The Suicide Squad

David Ayer's Suicide Squad had a killer trailer, which teased an over the top romp featuring plenty of DC villains. But the theatrical cut failed to truly connect with audiences, despite making money and even winning an Oscar for makeup. While Harley Quinn and Will Smith's Deadshot were standouts, most of the blockbuster's cast was kept on the sidelines. This includes Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang, who got a few one liners but failed to be truly fleshed out.

By comparison, James Gunn is skilled at balancing an ensemble cast. Each member of the Guardians of the Galaxy gets time to show their heart, in addition to the action and laughs that the movies bring. Gunn has assembled a great group of actors for his DC debut, so it should be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

All will be revealed when The Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 6, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

It's an unenviable task to take over Hugh Jackman's adamantium claws as Wolverine. The A-list actor became one of the most respected and beloved actors in Hollywood, in no small part to his dedication and talents in playing the role of the popular X-Men character. But alas, Jackman has hung up his claws and called it a day for the X-Men universe. Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has big plans to take over the X-Men franchise, there will inevitably be a day when the famous part is recast. It won't be an easy decision, but there are a number of actors to consider for taking over as Wolverine.

But this decision isn't quite as easily as speculating on, say, who should play Moon Knight or She-Hulk. With an acclaimed actor having played the role for nearly two decades, often to high praise, one can't simply cast someone else and hope they gather the same traction. It needs to be an actor who is equally as charismatic or captivating, while also nailing the character's action sleuth and biting sense of humor. It is not an easy gig, certainly.

Nevertheless, there are certainly a number of actors who've been proposed for the role in recent years. Notably, and somewhat oddly, Daniel Radcliffe was reported to be considered for the part, and he laughed off the rumors of playing Wolverine. There are also a few other actors being considered who are, at least from this early standpoint, intriguing and worth discussing. And there of plenty of other names that have been brought up, like Scott Eastwood.

Like we said, it's not an easy decision, and there's a good case to be made about a wide variety of actors out there. Some of them seem unlikely, like the intriguing idea of casting Jason Momoa, despite his casting commitments to Aquaman. But a lot of them aren't out of the realm of possibility. Here are five performers that would be perfect for the role and should be thrown into the consideration pool.

Joe Manganiello

While the True Blood actor might be a little too old to play the muscle-bound part for more than a few years, there's definitely potential to be found in Joe Manganiello's take on the silver-clawed comic book character. He has the gruff look to accompany the character, and it's clear from his work in the Magic Mike movies that he has the wry sense of humor to play off the balance of tough and brooding, mixed with humorous and sarcastic.

Depending on what the Marvel Cinematic Universe plans to do with the character, especially if they want to respect the legacy of Hugh Jackman's portrayal and have Wolverine be a minor, short-lived figure in this world, it would definitely be intriguing to see what Joe Manganiello could do. He has the look. Plus, his work on True Blood allowed the actor to frequently get in touch with his animalistic side, which would obviously be very crucial for Wolverine. Also, he deserves another crack at the superhero genre following his short time as Flash Thompson and even shorter tenure as Deathstroke.

Garrett Hedlund

Although Garrett Hedlund might be better known for his lesser performances in something like TRON: Legacy, he has quietly become a captivating and versatile actor, filled with emotional range and dramatic heft. Soulful performances in On the Road, Inside Llewyn Davis and Country Strong, to name a few, show the wild spirit he brings to the right role, while the brooding intensity found in Death Sentence showcases an actor who can convey a sense of menace and malice that've been underutilized in the actor's previous work. Both qualities could work well in the role of Wolverine.

Garrett Hedlund strikes one as an actor who has proven his chops, but hasn't been able to make the transition into the mainstream. His bigger movies have often left him short, and it's ultimately his smaller, more emotionally intensive roles that have showcased his dramatic talents. Therefore, it's also possible that the MCU might not be his best route, but it's also apparent that a bigger, meatier role in a proven franchise might just be what it takes to push him into superstar status. Despite his thin frame, Hedlund has also proven a physical versatility that could see him beefing up and impressing us.

Jai Courtney

If asked a few years earlier, I don't think I could see Jai Courtney playing the part of Wolverine. The handsome actor hasn't proven his potential in big misfires like Terminator: Genisys and A Good Day To Die Hard. But in Suicide Squad, which was also critically derided outside of his performance and Margot Robbie's killer take on Harley Quinn, Courtney stepped up and proved that, in the right role, he could be charismatic and oddly charming.

In the role of Captain Boomerbang, all the years of Hollywood trying to capitalize on his unseen star power finally made sense. And in a better movie, that could've been the star-making role the actor was finally looking for. Alas, it didn't work out, but his performance was impressive enough to make the actor return to set for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Though there's no telling with that movie's expected high body count if he will make it to the end. If he finds himself unable to boomerang back into the franchise, there is potential for him to finally make it big playing Wolverine in the MCU. The fellow Australian actor has the physicality, the hair and the potential to go wild in a major way, and it would be nice to see that potential realized.

Luke Evans

Similar to some other actors listed here, Luke Evans is an actor who can shine in the right role, but he hasn't always found the roles to showcase his dramatic talents. Nevertheless, even in lesser movies like Beauty and the Beast, Murder Mystery and Ma, Luke Evans makes a good impression. And it's clear that he has been putting in enough hours in big blockbuster movies like Fast & Furious 6 and Furious 7, along with the The Hobbit movies, to stand out well if given the right leading part. Even if Wolverine were just a supporting player in the MCU, Luke Evans could play that to his favor.

Oftentimes, Luke Evans stands out best in minor roles, which allow him to expand his talents and give standout performances with a lot of flair and charisma. If Wolverine were to play something of a mentor figure this time around, which isn't confirmed by any means, it would be interesting to see Luke Evans use his talents in supporting roles to make the most of his time with the silver claws. He's an actor who seems like he's just one role away from getting big.

Taron Egerton

Although last year's Robin Hood wasn't exactly the action star role that he might've hoped it would be, Taron Egerton has had few troubles making a great impression in Hollywood. With both Kingsman movies, Egerton has proved himself charming, captivating and very charismatic. It's also clear from this summer's winning biopic, Rocketman, where Egerton played a younger version of Elton John, that he has both the comedic and dramatic chops to stand out in other roles. Therefore, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question to see the actor bulk up to play a younger Wolverine.

It also helps that Taron Egerton worked with Wolverine himself, Hugh Jackman, in the underrated sports comedy Eddie the Eagle, where Egerton had few troubles standing toe-to-toe with the acting veteran. Indeed, playing the role of Wolverine is something that Taron Egerton has mulled over. He is a big X-Men fan, by his own admission, and he seems flattered by the opportunity to play a role in the X-Men universe — even if he might possibly be a little sheepish (understandably) about playing Wolverine. Nevertheless, even if it didn't work out to play Wolverine, he should definitely be considered for some part in the MCU.

These are only a few actors who might be able to pull off the task of playing Wolverine. There are also some exciting players like Tom Hardy and Liev Schreiber who've been teased in the past, but their commitments to other superhero movies, plus their age (if the franchise is thinking about an actor playing Wolverine for the extended future) would likely restrict them from getting the role.

But we know that you probably have several different actors in mind who could play the part. Therefore. let us know in the comment section which actors have the chops to play Wolverine inside the MCU.

Although he debuted in the comics as a Flash villain and continues to antagonize the Scarlet Speedster periodically, Digger Harkness, a.k.a. Captain Boomerang, is arguably just as well known for being a member of the Suicide Squad, having been affiliated with the group since it was re-imagined in the 1980s. So naturally he was included in 2016’s Suicide Squad, played by Jai Courtney, and he’ll also be one of the few returning characters in the next cinematic appearance of the officially-designated Task Force X, The Suicide Squad.

Filming on this sequel/reboot/whatever it’s supposed to be is finally underway, and to tease his reprisal of Captain Boomerang (which he’s been psyched about), Jai Courtney posted the below photo.

Sure, throwing weapons from Australia are key to depicting Captain Boomerang, but when it comes to Jai Courtney’s version of the character, that gold tooth is almost as important… somewhat important? Okay, maybe it’s not that big a deal, but the actor wears it finely, and this Instagram post makes it clear that Jai Courtney is ready to step back into

Even by the Suicide Squad’s standards, Captain Boomerang is particularly abhorrent due to his cowardice and obnoxious behavior. And yet, he’s been a mainstay in the Squad for decades on the printed page, and Jai Courntey’s Boomerang was one of the main sources of comedic relief in the last movie, making it logical why he’d be back for The Suicide Squad.

When we last saw Captain Boomerang in the DC Extended Universe, he was the only surviving member of the team who didn’t get any perks following the mission to defeat Enchantress and Incubus in Midway City. Clearly his luck hasn’t changed if he’s still having to serve on the team, although it’s unclear if Boomerang has been stuck in prison this whole time or if he returned to the outside world, and then was tossed back into Belle Reve.

Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang is one of only four characters who will be back for The Suicide Squad, the other three being Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller and Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag. The rest of the cast is comprised of brand-new faces, from John Cena and Michael Rooker to David Dastmalchian and Daniela Melchior, though it’ll be a while until we officially learn who their characters are.

This time around, Jai Courtney and his fellow performers are being directed by James Gunn, who also wrote the script. Gunn boarded The Suicide Squad during that period when he’d been fired from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and once he’s done with this DC project, he’ll return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to reunite with Star-Lord and the gang. Principal photography on The Suicide Squad is set to begin soon in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 21, 2021, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on its development. You can also learn what other DC movies are on the way with our comprehensive guide.

While it wasn’t the critical hit DC and Warner Bros were hoping for months after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice polarized critics and moviegoers, 2016’s Suicide Squad was definitely a commercial hit, so naturally they’d want to keep that corner of the DCEU going. Following numerous behind-the-scenes change-ups, James Gunn is writing and directing Suicide Squad 2, a.k.a. The Suicide Squad, which is set to begin filming this fall.

Contrary to initial claims, The Suicide Squad will not be a total reboot for the officially-designated Task Force X in this continuity. Instead, it’s balancing on the line between follow-up and relaunch, and will feature a sprinkling of familiar faces among plenty of new ones. So let’s go over the lineup of characters that’s been assembled for The Suicide Squad so far.

Margot Robbie - Harley Quinn

After more than two decades of appearances in animated TV shows, comic books and video games, Harley Quinn finally made her live action theatrical debut in Suicide Squad, played by Margot Robbie. Her performance as the psychiatrist corrupted by The Joker was one of the few Suicide Squad elements received positively almost across the board, and The Suicide Squad will mark Robbie’s third turn as the character, following Birds of Prey. While Harley and The Joker were two peas in a pod again at the end of Suicide Squad, she won’t be obsessing over the Clown Prince of Crime again in The Suicide Squad since they’ve broken up pre-Birds of Prey.

Jai Courtney - Captain Boomerang

Although Digger Harkness, a.k.a. Captain Boomerang, was introduced as an adversary for The Flash, he’s arguably just as well known now for being a Suicide Squad member, albeit a cowardly and disruptive one. Jai Courtney will wield the throwing weapons and stuffed pink unicorn again in The Suicide Squad (and is quite psyched about it), although given Digger’s attitude, I’m surprised Amanda Waller is still utilizing his talents rather than keeping him permanently locked up.

Viola Davis - Amanda Waller

Task Force X is the brainchild of Amanda Waller, so it makes sense for Viola Davis to reprise the role. Suicide Squad members come and go, but with a few exceptions, Amanda is the one overseeing their missions and not tolerating their shenanigans. We saw in Suicide Squad how she’s ruthless, uncompromising and will take any action she deems necessary to protecting the United States of America. Count on her being just as unflinching in The Suicide Squad.

Joel Kinnaman - Rick Flag

Although it initially seemed like Joel Kinnaman wouldn’t be back for The Suicide Squad, it turns out he will indeed reprise Rick Flag. While Amanda Waller directs the Suicide Squad’s missions, it’s Rick Flag’s job to ensure that they behave themselves out in the field, meaning he’s also capable of detonating the micro bombs implanted inside them. With The Suicide Squad, however, we will not see Rick’s relationship with June Moone explored further, as Cara Delevingne is not reprising the role. Have they broken up or is Rick just keeping June far away from this part of his life?

Idris Elba

Idris Elba was the first new cast member to be announced for The Suicide Squad, and it was initially announced that he’d be playing Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot, taking over the role from Will Smith. However, it was later decided to keep the Deadshot open in case Smith wanted to play him again, so Elba will instead play a different character. There’s no official indication yet who that is, although Bronze Tiger is a good bet since The Suicide Squad is inspired by John Ostrander’s run on the Suicide Squad comic book and Tiger was one of the main members during that time.

David Dastmalchian - Polka-Dot Man

David Dastmalchian is no stranger to comic book projects, having already appeared in The Dark Knight, the Ant-Man movies, Gotham and The Flash. Now he’s making his DCEU debut as Polka-Dot Man in The Suicide Squad. As you can infer from the name, Polka-Dot Man, a minor Batman villain since 1962, uses high-tech dots as his gimmick, with their uses ranging from offensive weaponry to transportation. Given his obscurity and that he doesn’t have a history with the Suicide Squad in the comics, don’t be surprised if Polka-Dot Man is the Squad member killed off early into the movie.

Daniela Melchior - Ratcatcher

Having already appeared in several Portuguese TV shows, Daniela Melchior is making her Hollywood debut in The Suicide Squad as a female version of Ratcatcher. Like Polka-Dot Man, the original Ratcatcher has fought Batman on many occasions, and along with controlling an army of rats, he also utilizes cyanide gas in his crimes. There’s no information yet on what Melchior’s version of Ratcatcher will be like, but given that this character is also pretty obscure, perhaps that increases her chances of being on the chopping block.

Storm Reid

Storm Reid has been acting since she was three years old, but a lot of folks learned about her for the first time in last year's A Wrinkle in Time. While she’s performed in some notable movies and TV shows since then, including HBO’s Euphoria, The Suicide Squad is arguably her most profile project following the adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle’s novel. She’ll play the daughter of Idris Elba’s character, so once we learn who Elba’s playing, perhaps that’ll give some context on how Reid’s character specifically fits into the story.

John Cena

John Cena has primarily made a splash in the comedy realm with his acting thus far, but now he’s finally building up action cred as well with Bumblebee and the upcoming Fast & Furious 9. The Suicide Squad will keep that going, although he hasn’t officially signed on yet. The WWE superstar is being eyed to play Peacemaker, who is a peak physical specimen and relies on brutal force and non-lethal weaponry to carry out his peace cause. It’s a great role for someone as jacked and intense as Cena.

Benicio Del Toro

Like John Cena, Benicio del Toro, who already has some comic book cred by playing The Collector in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, isn’t officially attached to The Suicide Squad just yet, but if a deal is finalized, he won’t be lacking for screen time. Word on the proverbial street is that del Toro will play the main villain, who is simply being identified for now as The General. While it’s unclear if the character will actually go by that name in The Suicide Squad, it’s not unreasonable to assume that this is just a placeholder meant to hide his true identity, so as to not tip of hardcore DC Comics fans just yet.

Flula Borg

Flula Borg is a man who wears a lot of hats in the entertainment sphere, from standup comedian to YouTuber to DJ to your garden variety actor. In that last category, Borg’s resume includes TV shows like The Good Place and Curb Your Enthusiasm, and movies like Pitch Perfect 2 and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Now Borg is hopping into the realm of comic book movies, as he’s reportedly been cast in The Suicide Squad as the love interest to one of the main characters. But who? Does Harley Quinn have a new squeeze after the events of Birds of Prey? Is this who Polka-Dot Man was seeing before he was thrown into Belle Reve? And does Borg’s character have a key part in the movie or will this just be a minor appearance?

Nathan Fillion

For years, Firefly, Castle and The Rookie star Nathan Fillion was the popular fan pick to play Hal Jordan in a live action Green Lantern movie. Alas, while he’s gone on to voice the first human member of the Green Lantern Corps in various animated movies, he was passed over in favor of Ryan Reynolds in 2011’s Green Lantern, and while there is a Green Lantern Corps reboot in development, Fillion won’t be the one to bring the new version of Hal to life… well, not unless The Suicide Squad plans on introducing him. The actor has been tapped for a mystery role in the movie, making this his latest collaboration with James Gunn, having previously worked with the writer/director on Slither, Super and Guardians of the Galaxy.

Taika Waititi

Take Waititi’s already left a huge mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as his unique sense of humor did wonders with revitalizing a certain God of Thunder’s corner of the franchise in Thor: Ragnarok. Waititi will be back to write and direct Thor: Love and Thunder, evidently he’s also hopping over to the DCEU, as he’s hopped on board The Suicide Squad. This will be his second time playing a DC character, the first being Thomas Kalmaku in Green Lantern. Given that in addition to the fourth Thor movie, Waititi is also working beforehand on Next Goal Wins and will be doing press for Jojo Rabbit, I imagine his role in The Suicide Squad won’t be huge, but fingers crossed his character is nonetheless memorable.

Peter Capaldi

Originally known best in the U.K. for playing the foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker in The Thick of It, Peter Capaldi was catapulted to worldwide fame from his time as the Twelfth Doctor on Doctor Who. His tenure as the long-lived, space and time-traveling Time Lord lasted from 2014 to 2017, and now that he’s reportedly joined The Suicide Squad, he has the opportunity to contribute to another major franchise. As with a lot of folks on this list, we’re still in the dark about who Capaldi will be playing, but I suspect his character will have more in common with Tucker than The Doctor.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 5, 2021, so keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more updates. If you’re curious about what other DC movies are in development, look through our comprehensive guide.

Alita: Battle Angel was a movie with a lot of ambition. It was a grand film with a huge budget that was designed very much to be the first film in a franchise. It was a movie so big that some of the film's biggest names had little more than cameo roles. One of those cameos was played by Jai Courtney. The role is so small that you'd be forgiven for missing it entirely, but the actor says that he was happy to do it simply because Robert Rodriguez was the man who asked him. According to the actor, he agreed to do it after getting a call from the director who told him...

It seems that Jai Courtney had read for a couple of different roles in Alita: Battle Angel but, while he and Rodriguez wanted to work together, it seemed Alita wasn't quite the right time. However, Rodriguez then turned to Courtney when he needed somebody to fill the role of Motorball star Jashugan.

It seems that while Courtney's role was tiny in Alita: Battle Angel, the idea is that there is more to the character that we would see when and if sequels to the movie ever happen.

Of course, at this point, it's difficult to tell if a sequel is a real possibility or not. Alita struggled domestically, only bringing in about $85 million, but it did much better overseas and has a total gross of just over $400 million.

That a solid total number, but due to the film's fairly expensive budget, it's been suggested the movie needed to hit $500 million to be profitable, and it's clearly well below that mark. There's clearly an audience who got behind Alita, but it just may not be quite big enough. Although, one assumes that sequels could potentially be less expensive to produce since much of the technical groundwork has been done, so perhaps follow ups are possible.

Although, the other issue is that the first movie was a Fox production, which means that any subsequent movies would have to get the green light by Disney, which means convincing an entirely new set of executives to make your movie.

Courtney tells Business Insider that he has no clue what the future might hold for Alita and that he has zero expectations in that regard. It seems he didn't take the role for the sequel potential, but just to work with Robert Rodriguez, though one assumes if the sequel does happen he'll be even happier to have the chance to work with Rodriguez again.

Jai Courtney wasn't the only brief cameo that clearly was inserted because of future potential. Edward Norton also appeared in the film, as the man one assumes will be the main antagonist of any future movies.

In the modern movie landscape the franchise is king, and so a project like Alita was clearly always meant to be the first of many. Having said that, the movie practically requires a sequel simply because of the way it ended. It didn't simply leave the possibility of more story open, it left its own story before it was over.

It will be interesting to see if these cameos will ever get a chance to be fulfilled, or if these appearances in Alita: Battle Angel will just be interesting moments of trivia in a franchise that never happened.

Although it is being described as more of a reboot than a sequel, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some familiar faces from David Ayer’s 2016 film. Among those faces is Jai Courtney, who played the funny and mad George “Digger” Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang. Although his character was the most cowardly of the original group, Jai Courtney himself is psyched to hop back into the role for another go round, as he explained:

Captain Boomerang seems like the kind of character that would be a blast to play, and clearly Jai Courtney enjoyed his time as the Aussie bank robber. Based on what he told The Hollywood Reporter, he seems stoked that Captain Boomerang will be a part of the sequel and that he will get to have fun reprising that role, gold tooth and all.

We don’t know what writer/director James Gunn has planned, but Jai Courtney’s Boomerang does seem like the kind of odd and goofy character that Gunn does so well. And that makes him so ideally suited to this property in the first place. So it is cool that Captain Boomerang will be back and will be portrayed by an actor who relishes in the role.

Given the fact that most signs point towards James Gunn’s film doing its own thing and acting as more of a soft reboot than a true sequel, it’s difficult to know what The Suicide Squad has in store for Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. At the end of Suicide Squad, having survived their mission, the team gets ten years off their sentences. Everyone except Boomerang. And while the others get special privileges, Courtney's gets put in solitary confinement.

Apparently Amanda Waller or whoever will put together the Suicide Squad in the sequel determines that Captain Boomerang isn't more trouble than he's worth and there is still some merit in keeping him around, if only for the comic relief.

Returning alongside Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad 2 is Viola Davis who plays Amanda Waller. The rest of the potential returnees are not confirmed as of yet. Despite some rumors to the contrary, it is believed that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will return, but Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is not expected to.

Captain Boomerang will be mixing it up with some new faces as well. Idris Elba has been cast in The Suicide Squad and for a brief time, it seemed like he would be taking over Deadshot from Will Smith. Instead he will actually be playing a new character but we don’t know who yet, although we have some guesses. Also in talks to join Suicide Squad 2 and his first superhero film, is John Cena in an undisclosed role.

The Suicide Squad is scheduled to open on August 6, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters this summer and for all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

While not a hit on the critical spectrum, 2016’s Suicide Squad was quite the commercial success for the DC Extended Universe, taking in nearly $747 million worldwide. With a financial performance like that, it’s no wonder that Warner Bros gave the green light to a sequel, although now that James Gunn is writing and directing The Suicide Squad, the project has been described as more of a reboot. However, it can’t be fully classified as such, as we’ll apparently be reuniting with some familiar faces, including Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. The actor confirmed his involvement in The Suicide Squad thusly:

Like his comic book counterpart, Captain Boomerang, real name Digger Harkness, was one of the original members of the DCEU’s Suicide Squad, and while he was definitely the most cowardly of them, he managed to survive their first mission against Enchantress and Incubus. Evidently Amanda Waller or whoever is currently heading up Task Force X still sees value in him, as Jai Courtney confirmed to Business Insider that he’ll be present for The Suicide Squad, also saying that though the movie will be a “different” experience, it will also be “great.”

Assuming the report that Margot Robbie will reprise Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad is also correct, that makes two Suicide Squad actors who are back for the sequel/relaunch. Deadshot will also return, but due to scheduling conflicts, Will Smith has vacated the role and Idris Elba is succeeding him as Floyd Lawton. There’s still no word if Viola Davis will reprise Amanda Waller, but Joel Kinnaman reportedly won’t reprise Rick Flagg. Beyond that, it’s been said that The Suicide Squad will primarily consist of brand-new characters, but Courtney and Robbie returning, as well as Deadshot still being present, provides some connective tissue to the first Suicide Squad movie, thus ensuring The Suicide Squad isn’t an actual reboot akin to Batman Begins or The Amazing Spider-Man.

Although Jai Courtney is the second actor to play Captain Boomerang in live action (the first being Nick Tarabay on Arrow), Courtney’s version is definitely the version more well-known to audiences, with a lot of folks probably learning about the character’s existence in Suicide Squad. Given that Courtney also has some star power on his side, it makes sense why he’s being brought back for this follow-up. We might not ever see Boomerang clash with The Flash again, but at least he can still lend his unique talents to this black ops team in exchange for a reduced prison sentence… provided his antics don’t compromise the mission.

The Suicide Squad charges into theaters on August 6, 2021. Don’t forget to look through our DC movies guide to learn what else is coming down this superhero franchise pipeline, as well as our 2019 release schedule to plan your silver screen experiences this year accordingly.

David Ayer's Suicide Squad is a movie with a complicated history. The film was famously rushed through development, had to undergo many mid-production changes, and ultimately received some vicious reviews from professional critics when it came out in the summer of 2016. Despite all of this, however, the movie wound up being a massive hit all around the world – bringing in nearly $750 million worldwide – so it's not really a huge surprise that Warner Bros. and DC Comics are developing a follow-up… albeit one with some massive changes being made both in terms of the characters involved and the story being told. It’s now time to prepare for The Suicide Squad.

With the film now less than a year away from release, details are finally starting to come out beyond those as simple as the movie’s director and the release date. In aim of keeping all confirmed information in one place we have put together this What We Know So Far guide. So read on, and find out absolutely everything we've learned about the development of The Suicide Squad!

What Is The Suicide Squad Release Date?

There was a time when the DC Extended Universe seemed to be floundering a bit, not quite sure what its future was going to be, but now the franchise appears to have a clear vision for the future, and have set up an awesome lineup of movies to come out in the next two-and-a-half years. As things stand, The Suicide Squad is one of seven live-action blockbusters in the works and will be following Wonder Woman 1984 with its August 6, 2021 release date. (You can see the full slate of Upcoming DC Movies here)

What Is The Suicide Squad Rating?

Films like Deadpool, Deadpool 2 and Logan have done a radical job completely changing the comic book movie game where ratings are concerned. While it was once believed that the blockbusters had to be PG-13 in order to bring in key teenager demographics, it has been shown multiple times that it's very possible to make a crazy amount of money while only appealing to adults. DC has gotten into that particular game very recently with the releases of both Todd Phillips’ Joker and Cathy Yan’s Birds Of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) and it’s possible that The Suicide Squad will be the next title on that list.

Unfortunately, whether or not that’s going to happen isn’t clear yet. Although the decision has apparently been made behind the scenes as to what the movie’s rating is going to be, it’s being maintained as a secret for now. Like with Birds Of Prey, we’ll likely have to wait until the first trailer is released to get confirmation.

Who Is The Suicide Squad Writer And Director?

In July 2018, the comic book movie world was rocked by the news that Marvel Studios had made the decision to fire writer/director James Gunn from the production of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – and some of the quickest speculation to spring up was the question of whether or not he could be scooped up by another comic book franchise. At the end of the day Gunn and Marvel were able to make up, and now he is back on track to make his Guardians sequel, but those fences weren’t mended before the filmmaker had the opportunity to strike a deal with Warner Bros. to both write and direct The Suicide Squad.

While James Gunn has served as a very hands-on producer on features like The Belko Experiment and Brightburn in recent years, The Suicide Squad will be his first non-Guardians of the Galaxy movie since 2011’s Super. He has also gone on record saying that the making of the new film has been the most fun he’s had in the creation of a movie.

What Is The Suicide Squad Story?

It’s common practice for studios to keep plot details for upcoming comic book movies close to the vest, and The Suicide Squad is proving to be no exception, as we presently have no real idea what the central narrative of the blockbuster is. That being said, James Gunn has said that he was particularly inspired by the original John Ostrander run of Suicide Squad comics, and it’s been said that the film will be working with the aesthetic of a 1970s war movie.

Of course, the general set-up of the titular team – known officially as Task Force X – is the same as it ever was: the group is made up of convicted supervillains who are given the opportunity to take time off their respective prison sentences by performing black ops missions for the government. The movie’s specific relationship with the canon of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad is presently unclear, as the project has been referred to as a reboot of sorts, but it does feature a number of returning characters (which we’ll get into next!)

The Suicide Squad Cast And Characters

Get ready for a super-dose of weird. Like any normal sequel, The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some of the key protagonists from the 2015 blockbuster, but this time around they will be joined by a large number of strange individuals who ultimately play a huge part in making the movie unlike anything we’ve ever seen before.

Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie)

The first Suicide Squad was as divisive as blockbusters really get, but if most movie-goers and critics could agree on anything, it was appreciation for Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. Sure, her involvement in the story didn't make a lot of sense (given that she was primarily being used for her connections with the Joker, and the Joker wasn't a part of the actual mission), but, still, it was easy to enjoy Robbie's take on the vivid personality, and it satisfied years of anticipating the character's big screen debut. Now she will be back for her third big screen appearance in The Suicide Squad, and while we have no clue what she’ll be doing in the story, she has an excellent new look and appears to be having a lot of fun.

Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney)

Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang turned out to be one of the biggest surprises packed by the first Suicide Squad, and his energy was clearly appreciated by James Gunn given that the character will be coming back in The Suicide Squad. He has a bit of a different look this time around, but one cool new feature of the character is that his boomerangs appear to glow when thrown.

Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman)

Last time around, Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) was supposed to be the true leader of the Suicide Squad – the moral soldier who could control the supervillains – but that didn't exactly work out as planned. Instead, the guy pretty much screwed up his entire job by getting super emotional about Dr. June Moone (Cara Delevingne), and letting the Enchantress go wild. As far as overall job performance goes, the guy basically got a "D-"... but he’ll be getting a shot at redemption in The Suicide Squad. We’d say that we hope he does better this time, but could he really do much worse?

Amanda Waller (Viola Davis)

Amanda Waller is one of the toughest tough cookies in all of DC Comics lore, and that definitely came across in Viola Davis' performance in the first Suicide Squad. The woman not only has an perfectly clear idea of what she wants in this life, but is also willing to go to some pretty extreme personal lengths in order to get the job done. Most importantly, though, she rules the titular team with an iron thumb, and it's why we are excited that she will be back in The Suicide Squad. Again, we have no idea what kind of mission she will be sending Task Force X to do, but we’re just excited that she’s once again the one holding the button that can trigger the explosives injected into everyone’s necks.

Bloodsport (Idris Elba)

Idris Elba is no stranger to comic book movies, having played Heimdal in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and starring in Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance, but The Suicide Squad will mark the first time that he plays a character who originates from the DC Comics canon. In the blockbuster he will be playing the role of Robert DuBois a.k.a. Bloodsport, who is an assassin from the comics best known for shooting Superman with a Kryptonite bullet.

Peacemaker (John Cena)

It feels like it was only a matter of time before John Cena got into the comic book movie game, but there isn't a person on Earth who could have predicted that this is the role that he was going to take on (except for, perhaps, James Gunn). Born Christopher Smith, Peacemaker is an antihero who lives by an oxymoronic code in that he is willing to do anything to try and forge peace – and that includes murdering anybody he feels gets in the way of that cause.

Weasel (Sean Gunn)

Even in DC movies James Gunn is still casting his brother as anthropomorphic furry creatures. After years of playing the on-set version of Rocket in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, Sean Gunn will be playing Weasel in The Suicide Squad – who looks as bugged out and odd as a character can get in a mainstream comic book blockbuster.

King Shark (Steve Agee/?)

King Shark is one of two characters being brought to life with performance capture in The Suicide Squad, with comedian Steve Agee (who was previously in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2) doing the on set work playing the man-eating shark who can walk on land and has arms and legs. It's currently unknown who will be providing the character's voice, though it's rumored that it will be Taika Waititi (who is a confirmed member of the cast)

Savant (Michael Rooker)

James Gunn seems to truly love hanging out with Michael Rooker whenever possible, and The Suicide Squad will mark their fifth time working together as director and actor (the others being Slither, Super, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2). As his name suggests, Savant is a character best known for being tremendously smart... though he is a touch handicapped by the fact that a chemical imbalance causes him to occasionally be forgetful.

T.D.K. (Nathan Fillion)

Speaking of frequent collaborators, Nathan Fillion is another one of James Gunn's go-to guys. The Suicide Squad will mark the second time that the writer/director has gotten Fillion into a super suit after his role as The Holy Avenger in Super, and this time around he will be playing T.D.K. ... a character who we know nothing about because he doesn't seem to originate in the comics (or at least there isn't a character who goes by that specific name).

Blackguard (Pete Davidson)

The Suicide Squad seems to be stacked equally with talents from both the dramatic and comedic worlds, and one cool tally in the latter column is Pete Davidson, who will be playing Blackguard in the film. In the comics the character wears armor that allows him to project a shield and weapon made of pure energy, but given his possession of a hell of a lot of guns in the footage we've seen it's not clear if that will be the case in The Suicide Squad.

The Thinker (Peter Capaldi)

Fans of The Flash television series will note that The Thinker was just used as a primary villain, but we expect that his big screen counterpart played by Peter Capaldi will be considerably different. We're not fully aware of what The Thinker's role is in The Suicide Squad, the comic book counterpart's specialties including hyper-intelligence, mind control, and telekinesis, but we're just over the moon that he's being played by such a fantastically talented actor.

Sol Soria (Alice Braga)

"Sol Soria" is another character name that doesn't seem to actually appear in Marvel Comics, but given that there is a former Suicide Squad member with the same surname, our assumption is that what we're looking at in the case of Alice Braga's The Suicide Squad role is a gender bend. In the comics, Juan Soria is a former wannabe superhero who injects his hands with nanites to give himself superpowers, but after being rejected by the Justice League turns to a life of crime.

Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchoir)

Comic book history is filled with legacy character – which is to say characters who pass on their special monikers to new generations – and it appears that's the case with Ratcatcher 2 in The Suicide Squad – hence the "2." The original Ratcatcher in the comics is a villain who is best known for his ability to command an army of sewer rats, which should hopefully result in Daniela Melchoir being at the heart of some intense rodent-filled sequences.

Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian)

Polka-Dot Man is unquestionably one of the oddest villains that exists in the comic book canon, and while modern comics and adaptations have a tendency to use him as a punchline, his part is actually one of our most anticipated aspects of The Suicide Squad. In his first live-action interpretation he will be played by David Dastmalchian, who has a long history in superhero movies in television thanks to his roles in The Dark Knight, Gotham, and the Ant-Man movies.

Mongal (Mayling Ng)

Joining Weasel and King Shark as the only non-human members of this version of The Suicide Squad will be Mongal, who will be repping for the vast extraterrestrial side of the DC universe and will be played in the movie by Mayling Ng. She is a very minor character in the comics, previously squaring off with Superman and Green Latnern, and it will be exciting to see what she brings to the party.

Javelin (Flula Borg)

Being a tremendously odd comedian who hails from Germany, Flula Borg really seems like he is the only person on Earth who could possibly properly portray the character of Javelin – who is a former Olympic athlete who competed for Germany and decided for some reason to turn to a life of crime (obviously using his honed skills with a long spear to help). Even if he doesn't wind up living all that long in the film at the very least he should provide some great laughs.

Be sure to keep checking back with this guide to get updated information on The Suicide Squad prior to its release. In the meantime, you can check out a wide array of our What We Know So Far Guides right here!

It's hard to be a DC fan these days. At its best, the DCEU delivers some pretty solid superhero storytelling, but at its worst, it can really be an incoherent mess. No DCEU film epitomizes that dichotomy more than Suicide Squad -- which, while profitable, received a thorough lashing from critics. Now an Honest Trailer for the Task Force X solo film has surfaced online, and it really holds nothing back. Check it out below.

That video pretty much comes out of the gate with guns blazing, as it immediately latches onto the "worst heroes ever" tagline, and seems to relish the irony of the marketing tactic. From there, it's a complete evisceration of the most recent DCEU adventure as the narrator tears apart Jared Leto's performance as the Joker, Cara Delevingne's Enchantress and the absurd levels of exposition that occur throughout the entire run of the film. This Honest Trailer really doesn't pull any punches, but even as a die-hard DC fan, I generally agree with it.

One of the biggest issues that this trailer points out is the fact that Suicide Squad does a genuinely terrible job of making Task Force X seem like bad guys. They're described as the worst of the worst during the first act of the film, but Amanda Waller sends them up against a legitimately evil, mystical force, which effectively nullifies anything remotely bad about them. The film makes a point to say that this specific squad of villains is the only thing standing in the way of Armageddon, but it never really explains why actual heroes like Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash never show up.

That being said, the trailer does actually point out the three specific bright spots in Suicide Squad. Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jai Courtney all turn in great performances as DC villains, and they're more than worthy of returning in future films. However, their impact on this particular film is completely minimalized by Jared Leto and Cara Delevingne, who overact as if their lives depend on it.

But hey, at least Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman looks like it will be pretty good, right? Maybe we will get lucky and that will finally be the definitive silver screen success that DC has been looking for over the course of the last four years.

What are your thoughts on this Honest Trailer for Suicide Squad? Does it make valid points, or does it take its criticisms of the film a bit too far? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

CinemaBlend will bring you any and all relevant information related to the future of the DCEU as new details become available to us. For now, make sure to check out the Suicide Squad Extended Cut, which is currently available on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital HD.

Whether you loved it or hated it, you cannot deny that Suicide Squad was packed to the brim with colorful characters. With that in mind, few of the film's heroic villains fit that description more than Jai Courtney's Digger Harkness a.k.a Captain Boomerang. The character made a phenomenal impression on audiences -- with some considering it Courtney's best performance---and that raises the question of whether or not we will ever see him again. As it turns out, Jai Courtney wants to play Boomerang in the future; he's just not positive that he will get the opportunity. The actor explained:

Jai Courtney recently sat down with We Got This Covered and admitted that, while he doesn't know what DC's plans are for Captain Boomerang, he definitely has an interest in playing the character again. Considering the fact that Suicide Squad only served as an introduction to the legendary Aussie villain, there's plenty more story to tell in which he could become a central player. He very clearly survived the events of Suicide Squad (although he wasn't too happy about where he ended up) and as such he's still a viable character that could easily be accessed at any given moment.

On one hand we can obviously understand why DC might not actually bring Jai Courtney back as Captain Boomerang. Suicide Squad was an insanely divisive movie, and as such it remains entirely plausible that DC and Warner Bros. may just want to move passed it. However, out of all the Suicide Squad elements worth jettisoning, Jai Courtney is definitely not one of them. He brought an overwhelming sense of fun to his take on Digger Harkness, and we would absolutely love to see him in a Suicide Squad sequel -- or another DC movie altogether.

Then, of course, there's the simple fact that Suicide Squad very clearly set up the rivalry between Boomerang and Ezra Miller's Flash, as well as the formation of The Rogues. It's one of the coolest scenes in the entire film, and it deserves to be expanded upon. Check it out below:

We will bring you more information concerning the future of Jai Courtney's involvement in the DCEU as more details become available to us. Let's keep our fingers crossed that we will see more of Boomerang and his pink unicorn fetish in the near future. The DCEU will continue to expand when Justice League hits theaters on November 17, 2017.

We here at CinemaBlend are obsessed with Jai Courtney. OK, maybe it's just me. But how can you not be at least mildly fascinated by this wonk? His career is wildly unpredictable, including both stellar TV shows (Spartacus) and unwatchable franchise killers (A Good Day to Die Hard, Terminator: Genisys). And yet, he continues to work, and every time we learn a little more about him, we find eccentric things to love. Like this story he has been telling for some time, about the time he chased Suicide Squad director David Ayer around the movie's set while totally nude.

Yep, that's Captain Boomerang ignoring the laws of physics once again, this time so that he can terrorize his DCEU director with the threat of a hug from The Full Jai. The irascible Jai Courtney was on Conan where he was confronted by this hard (or semi-soft) truth, and the actor defended his actions... not that we needed him to. To us, this is fine. But Courtney explained:

And now we have the visual evidence, whether we wanted it or not. Suicide Squad opened this past August, and took the DCEU in a different direction after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. By focusing on an all-villain team, Squad gave characters like Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), The Joker (Jared Leto) and, yes, Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) a spotlight they normally only get when they are fighting off Batman or The Flash. The movie banked $745 million globally, and came close to matching Batman v Superman's international take. Maybe if it had a scene where naked Boomerang chased Rick Flag around Midway City, it would have earned a few extra bucks?

Anyway, here's Jai Courtney defending his on-set nudity to Conan O'Brien:

Jai Courtney will next be seen The God Four, co-starring Natalie Dormer and Michael Douglas. Let's hope at least one of them knocks on Jai's trailer in the middle of the day, in between shoots. They better have their running shoes on.

David Ayer's Suicide Squad is chock full of awesome DC characters. Some, like Deadshot (Will Smith) and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), completely get the spotlight. Others, like Batman (Ben Affleck) and Joker (Jared Leto), get relegated to side roles. However, there's one awesome Suicide Squad cameo that's so quick (pun intended) that you may miss it if you don't pay attention. The fight between Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and The Flash (Ezra Miller) from Suicide Squad has just surfaced online, and you look like you need a reminder of how utterly awesome it is. Check it out below!

That clip just surfaced online, and it serves as a phenomenal reminder of what DC did right in Suicide Squad. The video provides an introduction to Captain Boomerang as a character by showcasing his abilities, backstory, and role on Task Force X. Roughly one minute into the clip, we get a glimpse of the banker robbery sequence in Suicide Squad (which was actually directed by Zack Snyder) in which the Australian supervillain is captured by the Scarlet Speedster. In true Barry Allen fashion, the red-clad hero even takes a moment to observe Boomerang's weapon and remark upon the fact that there's clearly "no honor among thieves."

Although these two characters don't even technically share the screen with one another during this sequence, it's an awesome promise of what's to come during the future of the DCEU. Flash and Boomerang are iconic enemies, and this scene really seems to set up a future conflict in which the boomerang-wielding bad guy goes on to recruit other Central City villains to join his team, The Rogues. With that in mind, the introduction of Captain Boomerang into the DCEU only represents the beginning; we wouldn't be surprised to see notable baddies like Captain Cold, Reverse-Flash, or even The Trickster pop up in this silver screen universe by the time The Flash solo movie debuts.

This scene actually highlights something that DC has done a really good job with so far in the DCEU: cameos. Although there's a good debate to be had about the quality of DC's last three films, it's difficult to argue against the fact that the comic book giant has really developed a beautifully interwoven cinematic universe. Characters pop in and out of each other's films with impeccable nimbleness, and this Flash cameo really hammers that idea home.

We have a feeling that the rivalry between The Flash and Captain Boomerang will only continue to get more and more intense as the DCEU wears on. The DC cinematic universe will press onward when Wonder Woman hits theaters next summer on June 2, 2017. Stay tuned for more details!

Actor Jai Courtney got his first big acting break on TV back in 2010, but he then immediately jumped into a big screen career that has seen him star in at least one gigantic blockbuster flick in each of the past five years, not to mention the non-blockbuster stuff. Courtney is everywhere these days, and now he's flipping back to TV to surprisingly show off his comedy skills for the Netflix Original Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.

A sequel series to both the original Wet Hot American Summer film, as well as last year's outstanding prequel series, subtitled First Day of Camp, Ten Years Later will obviously take place a decade after the events of that iconic 1981 summer. And just as real-life modern audiences have done, fictional audiences in 1991 are about get a first look at Jai Courtney as a star. He'll be playing an indie movie actor named Garth MacArthur - a name that is extremely fun to say over and over again - who is on the cusp of super-fame.

Garth already has a league of fans, but he's more focused on personal issues, such as his relationship with Amy Poehler's Susie. Well, it's only half a relationship, since she doesn't want to take things past the point of being sporadic lovers, while he wants something more serious. To be expected, Garth will tag along with Susie on her trip back to Camp Firewood for the 10-year reunion, according to Deadline

Jai Courtney's mainstream career has been fairly bereft of comedy, minus the madcap antics of Captain Boomerang in this year's Suicide Squad. So it's hard to know how he's going to do in the inevitable scene where Susie tries to use Garth to make Bradly Cooper's Ben jealous, even though Ben is gay and hopefully still messing around with Michael Ian Black's McKinley.

Really, it'll be crazy to see Jai Courtney go toe-to-toe with anyone and everyone in this cast, especially Christopher Meloni and Ken Marino. Victor and Garth on a van ride that never ends! Just about everyone from the original cast will be returning, and Courtney is one of the few involved whose age won't be part of Wet Hot American Summer's in-joke. His addition to the cast follows that of Alyssa Milano, an actress who was insanely popular in the early 1990s, when the show is set, so you know her character's age is going to play into it.

If you want to see what Jai Courtney has been up to that won't involve talking cans of vegetables, you can catch the Terminator Genisiys star later this year in the post-apocalyptic thriller Man Down, opposite Shia LaBeouf. As well, he'll star in the wartime drama The Exception with Christopher Plummer and Lily James. And his next flick is set to be a smaller-scale drama The God Four with Natalie Dormer and Michael Douglas.

Wet Hot Jai-merican Summer: Cour-Ten-y Years Later doesn't have a release date set just yet, but it'll make its debut on the streaming service at some point in 2017. To see what else is coming to Netflix around that time, check out our premiere schedule.

Viral marketing campaigns have become incredibly useful tools for major blockbusters. They offer a sense of immersion and discovery that other advertising methods simply cannot provide. Warner Bros. recently experienced a stroke of genius by teasing major DCEU developments on the A.R.G.U.S. website, and it now seems that the first major file on the database has officially been declassified. Get ready, Suicide Squad fans, because you're about to learn quite a bit about Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang. Check out the tweet below.

As you can see, the official A.R.G.U.S. website has officially declassified the file on Digger Harkness a.k.a Captain Boomerang. The tweet states that our A.R.G.U.S. access levels have been increased, and the promotion means that we can finally delve into the backstory and personal details of the boomerang-wielding, pink unicorn-obsessed villain. Spoiler alert: he's not a very nice individual.

The file on the website treats the Suicide Squad character like a real criminal, and fully immerses DC fans as real-life A.R.G.U.S. agents trying to get to the bottom of a major case. It lays out a perfect characterization for the wisecracking bad guy, telling us everything we need to know -- from his "treacherous" personality, to his rough upbringing as the illegitimate son of a toy manufacturer. A.R.G.U.S.' database even makes reference to a mysterious metahuman that captured Harkness (a moment we saw during Suicide Squad) which serves as an allusion to the eventual debut of Ezra Miller's Flash when Justice League hits theaters in fall of next year.

Another part of Boomerang's file that really stands out is the observation that he's an incredibly "deceptive" and "exploitative" bad guy. Slipknot probably should've read that part of the database before trying to escape. He probably would still have his head if he did.

Warner Bros. very clearly has a wealth of information left to reveal to the audience. There are eight profiles left to unlock in the Task Force X file alone, and that doesn't even address the other mysterious files on the site. In addition to the Task Force X section of the database, there are eight other files -- seven of which are labeled "restricted," and one of which is labeled "metahumans." Ultimately, this marketing tactic is really a perfect way to indulge the fantasies of longtime fans, while spoon-feeding vital information to members of the mainstream audience that might not have a very firm grasp on the exact nature of these characters.

CinemaBlend will bring you all of the latest and greatest updates related to the ARGUS website as new information becomes declassified. With a ton of awesome DCEU movies set to hit theaters within the next few years, we have a feeling that this database will become our go-to source for awesome information. The DCEU will continue to expand when Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2, 2017.

The rivalry between DC and Marvel existed long before the advent of shared cinematic universes. However, the growing prominence of superhero movies has shined an unprecedented light on this long and storied conflict. Although there's room for debate, it's pretty clear that Marvel stands on much firmer ground on the silver screen, and DC actor Jai Courtney seems to have a very clear understanding as to why. He explained:

During a recent interview on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast, Jai Courtney took the time to explain what works so well about the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By his own estimation, Marvel Studios has had the time to let all of its fundamental pieces fall into place, and audiences have slowly come to know all of Marvel's characters over the course of the last eight years. In his own words, they took their time and allowed the MCU to "marinate." That's a beautifully simple way to put it.

He's definitely not wrong. Although Marvel has clearly shown no fear when it comes to trying new things with its franchises, we often take the MCU's current stability for granted. Everyone seems to forget that the early days of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and the rest of the Phase 1 films had to do a ton of legwork in order to properly introduce fans to these characters and these worlds. Now that fans have actually gotten to know the core Avengers ensemble, the studio has the luxury of bringing these players together for big tentpole movies like Captain America: Civil War.

Just think about it, Marvel gave audiences five standalone movies before producing team-up movie in the form of 2012's The Avengers. For comparison's sake, the DCEU has only really had one movie focusing on a single hero. Following the lukewarm response to Man of Steel, DC then expanded exponentially by producing seriously polarizing ensemble films like Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad. This inherently puts DC at a disadvantage when compared to Marvel. Warner Bros. has had to move considerably quicker with regards to establishing the DCEU, and that has arguably made for a somewhat sloppier start than Marvel experienced.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Jai Courtney's comments is the idea that DC will eventually get to Marvel's level. Just as Marvel had to take the time to familiarize audiences with its own world, DC is currently in the midst of that process. A few more DCEU movies, and fans will know exactly what to expect from each and every one of these characters - paving the way for better team ups.

One thing is clear: the rivalry between DC and Marvel will only get more intense in the future. The Marvel Cinematic Universe will continue to expand when Doctor Strange hits theaters on November 4, and DC will take the action back to WWI when Wonder Woman hits theaters on June 2, 2017. Stay tuned for more details!

The following story contains spoilers for David Ayer's Suicide Squad. Stop reading now if you have yet to see the movie, and want to go in unspoiled!

It was Enchantress's last stab. With the members of the newly formed Suicide Squad bearing down on her mysterious weapon, she used her magical powers to infiltrate their evil minds, giving each villain a glimpse at what their happiest life could look like. Deadshot (Will Smith) finally was able to vanquish The Batman (Ben Affleck). Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) was living a normal life with her true love, The Joker (Jared Leto). They even had a child! (What might THAT mean?) Then there was Jai Courtney's unpredictable Captain Boomerang. What was his happy alternate lifestyle?

Well, we never got to see it. And Boomerang missing a happy vision stood out. By this point, there were so few Squad members left in Suicide Squad. Why didn't he get a vision? During a recent press day for Suicide Squad, I was able to ask director David Ayer if they had a vision in mind for Boomerang, and as it turns out, they did! The director told me:

Bunny Rabbits? I thought Boomerang liked pink unicorns.

So much of the conversation surrounding Suicide Squad has been about what has been left out of the final product. Jared Leto keeps telling journalists that there's enough deleted Joker footage to create a separate Joker movie. While David Ayer says the cut in theaters is HIS final cut, there have been lists of potentially deleted scenes that are making the rounds, suggesting that Squad was tinkered with, severely, in the editing room.

But that didn't stop Suicide Squad from getting off to a strong start at the box office over the weekend. The movie opened to roughly $135 million in the States, and had pushed its global cume to $267M. It has a long way to go before it reaches profitability, but this was a solid first step.

Do you wish that Captain Boomerang had this Enchantress scene filmed? I know Jai Courtney does. When I brought up this written scene to the actor in a subsequent interview, he laughed hard and asked me:

Suicide Squad is in theaters as we speak.

With the summer months are coming to a close, so is summer blockbuster season. And while we've seen a bunch of superhero movies fly into theaters, we still have one more before the fall begins. That is none other than David Ayer's highly anticipated Suicide Squad, which is hoping to revitalize the DC Extended Universe and bring some fun to the otherwise somber Zack Snyder-ey universe. Much of the controversy revolving around Suicide Squad is the bizarre and somewhat extreme method of filmmaking, by both the actors and Ayer himself. Now it looks like we have another example of a Suicide Squad actor perhaps taking their craft a bit too far.

Divergent actor Jai Courtney is playing Boomerang in Suicide Squad, and he apparently took to some extreme measures to find his character. In a recent interview Courtney revealed that he had taken magic mushrooms during his process in the villain comic book movie. This led many to believe that he may have been on drugs when talking to David Ayer, or even on set. Courtney has just clarified his practice to Superhero Hype saying,

Well, I'm glad we got that cleared up. Jai Courtney might have experimented with drugs, but he didn't do it anywhere near the Suicide Squad set.

The Suicide Squad set seems extremely method in regards to acting. Method acting revolves around truly exploring the psyche of your character, helping you to transform when you're on camera or stage. Some actors take this even further, refusing to break character while they're working. While Jai Courtney was still himself in between takes, it seems he did take things pretty far to find Boomerang within. In addition to using hallucinogenic mushrooms to explore his mind, he also experimented with self-mutilation, putting out cigarettes on his skin.

Jai Courtney isn't the only Suicide Squad actor taking extreme measures to find his character. Jared Leto took things even further than Courtney, staying in character for the entirety of the film's filming. Additionally, he would send his co-stars bizarre and sexual gifts from the Joker. Leto also revealed that, in order to find Joker's signature laugh, he would walk through the streets of New York laughing maniacally. And Leto has stated that the Joker is still inside him, which would make sense after he watched graphic videos of violence for months.

What do you think of all of these extreme methods for character development? Are they taking things too far, or is it worth it for a dynamic performance?

The following story contains a spoiler for David Ayer's Suicide Squad. Stop reading now if you don't want to know it. I'll even hide the story under a photo of Captain Boomerang.

The news has been getting out that The Flash, as played by Ezra Miller, appears in a brief scene in Suicide Squad. When you have a cool tease like that, it's hard to keep it a secret for too long. Although, Jai Courtney was pretty damn surprised by the fact, because as it turns out, he didn't film the actual scene with Ezra Miller, and didn't know The Flash made it into the movie until he screened the final cut!

As part of a Suicide Squad press event in New York City, I was able to sit down with Jai Courtney, who plays Captain Boomerang in the film. Seriously, stop reading now if you don't to be spoiled on Suicide Squad. There are scenes in the movie explaining how the villains end up in Belle Reve prison, and Boomerang's involves getting caught by The Flash. Only, Courtney told me:

In a perfect world, That's what would have happened. But eagle-eyed comic book fans now stuffy ever frame of trailer and commercial footage, and they caught this shot of Boomerang getting knocked back by something that carried a blue bolt of lightning.

That's the same blue lightning that appears when Ezra Miller dodges Bruce Wayne's batarang in the Justice League footage Zack Snyder brought to San Diego Comic-Con. Connect the dots, and it only made sense that The Flash would appear in Suicide Squad.

How meaty is The Flash's part? I'll leave that for you to discover when Suicide Squad opens in theaters on August 5.

Last summer, Jai Courtney became the third actor to play Kyle Reese in the Terminator movie series, following Michael Biehn and Anton Yelchin. Unfortunately, his movie, Terminator Genisys, failed to impress many moviegoers, and although it earned $440 million worldwide, the overwhelming negative reviews led to future plans for the franchise being put on hold. Now Courtney has expressed how excited the was to see what the sequels would have offered.

While plugging his latest movie, Suicide Squad, Jai Courtney talked with our own Sean O'Connell about how despite moving on from the Terminator franchise, he was looking forward to what was being planned. As he put it:

After Terminator Salvation didn't take off as expected in 2009, Terminator Genisys rebooted the franchise (in a similar vein as 2009's Star Trek) and was intended to kick off a new series of movies. Unfortunately, it failed to take off with U.S. audiences, though it managed to make quite a bit of money from screenings in China. Following Terminator Genisys' overall negative performance, Paramount took Terminator 6 off their schedule at the beginning of 2016, but the studio has yet to officially confirm that the movie has been scrapped.

Despite the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, saying that a new movie is still on the way, that seems less likely with each passing month. Emilia Clarke said in April that she won't reprise Sarah Connor, and Jai Courtney's comments suggest that despite being eager for what was ahead, he's made peace with things not going as expected. Perhaps the only way Terminator will ever be brought back to the big screen is if they reboot the series yet again and bring in a new cast. Maybe this is one franchise that's better off never being revived, or at minimum, wait a decade or more before tackling it again. Hey, at least the first two movies will always be classics.

While the chances of seeing Jai Courtney reprise Kyle Reese are slim at this point, you can see the actor playing Digger Harkness, a.k.a. Boomerang, when Suicide Squad arrives in theaters August 5.

Following the disappointing response to Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Warner Bros. is putting even more pressure on Suicide Squad. The good news is that Warner Bros. appears to have a lot more confidence going into David Ayer’s super-villan team up than they necessarily had for Batman and Superman. There’s already word that the studio is starting work on a possible spinoff vehicle for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Now, it looks like the future of the Joker and Captain Boomerang may be heading in a similar direction.

While it’s only a rumor at this point, We Got This Covered has a source claiming that Warner Bros is so convinced that Suicide Squad is going to be a hit that they’re considering the future of all the characters, specifically those played by Jared Leto and Jai Courtney. While the source is unnamed -- and there’s no indication of how they’d be in a position to know, so we have to take it all with a grain of salt, regardless of how accurate it may be -- if this is true, then we can expect Leto back in character before too long and sending terrible gifts to people. Says the source:

The idea of a spinoff for The Joker is far from surprising. Jared Leto’s actions on the set of Suicide Squad have been the stuff of legend, and the buzz surrounding his character has been off the charts. Many fans will likely be drawn to the film simply to see how that particular performance turned out. If Leto is as bizarre as we’ve been led to believe, then we’ll likely want to see more of him, although a Joker-led movie would certainly be a first.

If there’s an interesting part of this news, it's Warner Bros’ apparent interest in Captain Boomerang. Boomerang certainly doesn’t have the cache that The Joker and Harley Quinn have. There’s a decent chance that even non-comic fans have heard of those two, but Boomerang, not so much. To be fair, the source doesn’t technically say that Boomerang is looking at his own spinoff, only that the studio likes the character. Maybe this will only mean that he’ll be a more frequent supporting character. The one thing that appears to be true is that the Hollywood’s ongoing experiment to plaster Jai Courtney on everything isn’t quite over yet.

What do you think? Are you already excited for a Joker movie? Will Captain Boomerang finally be the role that makes Jai Courtney the action star that Hollywood demands? Let us know in the comments. 

In 2016, Warner Bros. is releasing two DC movies. First up is Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, the titular characters of which everyone has heard. Later this year, though, movie-goers will be treated to a different kind of comic book film. Suicide Squad will follow a group of supervillains who are coerced into going on dangerous missions. That’s right: it won’t be a superhero headlining this film – it’s a group of bad guys! The Suicide Squad has been an important presence in the DC Universe since writer John Ostrander revitalized the group in the 1980s, and now they’re getting a chance to shine in the DC Cinematic Universe.

The Suicide Squad has appeared in a variety of media, such as Justice League Unlimited, Batman: Assault on Arkham and Arrow, but this will be their first theatrical appearance. You can check out the most recent Suicide Squad trailer below:

Now, here’s our handy guide on everything you need to know about the film, from its basic premise to all the major players. Read on to get the details!

What Is The Suicide Squad Release Date

Suicide Squad is set for release on August 5, 2016. The main competition for the film will be Pete's Dragon, which actually debuts a week later on August 12. This gives the film plenty of time to rack up an impressive opening, which is exactly what it is expected to do.

What Is The Suicide Squad Rating

This will probably be a surprise, considering the naturally dark nature of a film that focuses on supervillains, but Suicide Squad is actually shooting for a PG-13 rating. The goal for DC was to make sure the movie would fit in with their other cinematic offerings, such as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which scored the almost kid friendly rating earlier this year. As of this writing, Suicide Squad still hasn't garnered an official rating.

What Suicide Squad Will Be About

The specific plot for the movie hasn’t been revealed yet, but we can expect the basic premise from the comic books to be the same. The Suicide Squad, officially designated Task Force X, is a secret team of supervillains who have been imprisoned by the United States government. The team undertakes high-risk missions for the government in exchange for amnesty. If they succeed in their mission, they live to fight another day, and get their sentences reduced. But if they fail, they can just be written off. Hence the nickname, "Suicide Squad." In the source material, team members also have micro bombs implanted inside them, which can be detonated if they try to escape or cause trouble during the mission. Whether or not this will be featured in the film is not yet known.

The Director

It was announced back in September 2014 that David Ayer will helm Suicide Squad. Ayer is most famous for directing films like Street Kings and End of Watch. Most recently, 2014 saw the release of his World War II drama Fury, which followed tank operators during the final days of war in Europe, as well as the over-the-top violent cop drama Sabotage. In addition to directing, Ayer – who previously penned scripts for movies like Training Day, The Fast and the Furious and S.W.A.T. - also wrote Suicide Squad. As you can tell, his resume is primarily based around action movies, so he seems like an ideal fit for this film. During pre-production and filming, Ayer used social media to give fans looks behind the scenes, from shots of unique weapons to teasing a certain Batman-related locations.

The Joker

In 2016, Jared Leto will become the fourth person to play Batman’s greatest enemy on the big screen - following in the footsteps of Caesar Romero, Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger. We don’t yet know the specifics of how The Joker will fit into the plot of Suicide Squad, but the actor has enough experience playing unusual roles (like Mark David Chapman and Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club) that this will a doable challenge. His Suicide Squad costars have said he went very method while playing the Joker role, and from what we’ve seen of him so far, it looks like he’ll be terrifying.

In the trailer from San Diego Comic-Con 2015, it was suggested that Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller has thrown The Joker into a hole and thrown away the hole – however, all of the other footage that’s been provided of Leto in character features him out and about. It’s very possible that Joker will be locked away for a good deal of the film, and that the footage showing him outside of a cage is all from flashbacks.

Harley Quinn

She was created specifically for Batman: The Animated Series in 1992, and 24 years later Harley Quinn is finally making her live-action film debut. Originally a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, Dr. Harleen Quinzel was corrupted by The Joker and became his assistant/girlfriend. Although Harley has primarily been a Batman character, recent years have seen her branching out into other corners of the DC universe. It was during the New 52 re-launch of DC Comics that she was added onto the Suicide Squad, and she’s been one of its primary members ever since. Harley’s only other live-action appearance was in the short-lived TV series Birds of Prey, and it’s probably best that we forget about that.

Margot Robbie is playing Harley, and based on the footage that we’ve seen it appears as though she is ready to steal Suicide Squad with her performance. Her costume is not only a great live-action adaptation of her gear from the comics, but her mannerisms and voice are great matches to her cartoon counterpart as well. Robbie’s performance is easily one of our most anticipated aspects of the film, and the The Wolf of Wall Street star looks like she’s ready to deliver. Ayer has also been putting a lot of thought into what drives Harley’s madness, so we can take comfort knowing she won’t be a one-dimensional player.

Rick Flag

In order to keep this team of villains in check while in the field, you need a disciplined soldier leading that charge. That’s where Rick Flag comes in. A former Special Forces operative with a strategic mind, Flag has led several iterations of the Suicide Squad during the decades. He’ll do whatever it to make his country proud, even if it means having to work with these detestable villains. Flag has appeared in shows like Justice League Unlimited and Smallville, as well as the animated movie Justice League: The New Frontier.

Originally Tom Hardy was supposed to play Flag, but he was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Other actors that were being looked to take his place included Jake Gyllenhaal, Joel Egerton and Jon Bernthal, but ultimately it was The Killing and Robocop actor Joel Kinnaman who landed the role. The most recent trailer certainly suggests that he will be calling all of the shots during the Suicide Squad’s mission, and that he has no patience for craziness.

Enchantress

Of all the Suicide Squad members, Enchantress is the arguably the least well-known. In the comics, June Moore was a normal teenage girl who was at a costume party at the Terror Castle. After discovering a secret passage, she finds a demon who tells her that she’s going to become a mystical hero. When she says the word "Enchantress," she transforms into a black-haired, costumed hero with magical abilities. However, despite the demon’s proclamation, June’s mind eventually snapped, and she became a criminal. This led to her joining the Suicide Squad, as she believed they would be able to help her keep the villainous side in check.

Enchantress will be played by actress/model Cara Delevingne, who was originally rumored to play Harley Qunn before the official cast was announced. The English model’s previous work includes Joe Wright’s Anna Karenina and The Face of an Angel. At this point, not much is known about Enchantress’ part in Suicide Squad, though the footage suggests that June Moore will go through her origin story while spelunking, instead of during a costume party. Rick Flag says that she is possessed by a witch in the cast rundown, so we’ll just have to assume that’s fairly accurate.

Captain Boomerang

George "Digger" Harkness became a skillful boomerang thrower while growing up in Australia. He originally used this talent as a performer, but later started committing crimes. Although he’s been a frequent adversary of The Flash, Boomerang is also well-known for being a regular member of the Suicide Squad. In the early Suicide Squad stories from 1980s, his personality and racist comments often drew the ire of his teammates. He also had a tendency to sit back and watch when things get ugly out in the field, happy to just watch the mayhem. The footage we’ve seen certainly suggest that this is the version of the character that we will be seeing on the big screen.

Warner Bros. has wisely picked an Australian actor to play Boomerang. Jai Courtney, whose work includes Divergent, A Good Day To Die Hard and Terminator Genisys, will portray the villain in Suicide Squad. This is the second live-action portrayal of the character following his recent appearances in Arrow Season 3, where he was portrayed as a former Task Force X agent and played by Nick Tarabay.

Deadshot

If there’s one supervillain whose name pops up more frequently than most when the Suicide Squad is mentioned, it’s Floyd Lawton, a.k.a. Deadshot. He is one of the most notorious assassins in the DC Universe, claiming to never miss his target. He is visually recognizable by his cybernetic eye-piece, which boosts his accuracy and displays information for him. Once he’s paid, Deadshot will carry out a hit no matter what circumstances come his way. He also has a death wish. While he won’t outright commit suicide, he wants to leave this world in a spectacular fashion, which is why he frequently places himself in dangerous situations. Sounds like a perfect candidate for the team, no?

Deadshot will be played by Will Smith, making it one of the few times that the actor has taken on a villain role. Smith was attracted to Deadshot’s "dubious morals" and how he justifies killing people for money. Superhero movies have a tendency not to cover a main character’s face for long (i.e. Spider-Man being frequently unmasked), but David Ayer and Warner Bros. will at least let Will Smith wear the full Deadshot mask during parts of the film, though other shots have shown that in at least one mission his whole face will be exposed.

Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller, nicknamed The Wall, is the woman in charge of the Suicide Squad. Originally a congressional aide, she has been the director of several agencies in the DC Universe, most recently A.R.G.U.S. (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans). Despite not having any superpowers, Waller has proven herself a worthy adversary not to be trifled with. Her tactics may be drastic, but she’ll do whatever it takes to protect the United States from harm, whether it involves taking out a supervillain or neutralizing a superhero she believes to be a threat. As for the Suicide Squad itself, Waller only sees the team members (excluding Flag) as expendable assets. She won’t hesitate to eliminate any of them if she thinks it’s necessary for the mission. Think of her as a way more ruthless Nick Fury.

Viola Davis, known from projects like The Help and How To Get Away With Murder, is playing Amanda Waller in the film, and the first footage suggests she will have the hardcore edge she’s had for years in the comics (and may be keeping Aquaman prisoner). The Emmy award-winning actress is signed on for three more films after Suicide Squad, so we’ll be seeing more of Waller in the DC Cinematic Universe. This will be the character’s second theatrical appearance after being played by Angela Basset in Green Lantern. She has also been a recurring character on Arrow and Smallville.

Killer Croc

Born Waylon Jones, Killer Croc has largely been known as a Batman villain – famous for being born with a form of atavism that causes him to have reptilian-like skin and other traits. He grew up in an abusive household and ultimately turned to a life of crime, and has aspirations of being the kingpin of Gotham. In addition to having the teeth and claws of a reptile, he is also incredibly strong, and will likely serve as the heavy of the cinematic Suicide Squad. He also eats people… which is just worth mentioning.

Fans of the Killer Croc character in Batman comics have long been wondering if the character would ever get his opportunity to shine on the big screen, and that time is now coming. He will be portrayed – wearing very heavy makeup – by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (who previously got some comic book movie experience with a key supporting role as Kurse in Thor: The Dark World). At this stage, not much is known about how the character will fit into the movie’s plot outside being a part of the titular team, though it’s clear that the comic book-y elements of the character are being retained.

Slipknot

In case the name wasn’t clear enough, Slipknot is a character whose specialty rests in the "ropes" category. Also known as Christopher Weiss, he was introduced as an employee of a chemical company where he helped develop the strong ropes he would ultimately use while working as an assassin. Due to his impressive skills, he wound up on the radar of Amanda Waller, and was convinced to be a part of the Suicide Squad.

Bringing the character to life for the first time in live-action will be actor Adam Beach, who doesn’t exactly have a ton of big time action movies on his resume. Still, from the first-look image you see above, to his brief spotlight moment in the footage, he certainly looks convincing in the part.

Katana

Audiences just got to see Katana come to life played by Rila Fukushima in the third season of Arrow, but it will be actress Karen Fukuhara who will be playing the expert martial artist in Suicide Squad. If you’re trying to figure out if you recognize the name, however, you may want to give up, as the film will be her first on-screen appearance.

Katana, who was born in the comics Tatsu Yamashiro, originally hails from Japan, and is not only incredibly skilled in hand to hand combat, but – as her name implies – incredibly deadly with a sword. In the comics and various animated adaptations, the character has largely been a heroic character, which makes us wonder how exactly she will fit into the Suicide Squad story.

El Diablo

There have been multiple iterations of El Diablo in DC Comics, as the character's existence goes back to the old west - where a man named Lazarus Lane was nearly killed by a gang of thieves, but revived by a Native American shaman. He adopted the name El Diablo, and from that day forward became a vigilante. The Suicide Squad live-action take on the character won’t be this version, but instead the more recent one from DC’s line of New 52 comics. In those comics, El Diablo is Chato Santana, a former criminal who actually encounters Lazarus Lane and takes on the old west hero’s mantle.

Actor Jay Hernandez has the honor of being the first actor to bring El Diablo to life, and as you can in the image above, he’s doing it by going through a pretty interesting transformation. Not only has he shaved off all of his hair, but his entire face is covered by a rather intimidating skull tattoo. The footage suggests that the character has a pretty severe obsession with fire, not to mention the ability to shoot it out of his palms, so we’ll see how that affects his path in the movie.

Batman

Suicide Squad is a movie filled with bad guys and government officials with questionable morals, but there will be at least one hero present. It was confirmed by footage leaked online during filming that Batman will serve in at least a minor capacity, making this his second DCEU appearance after March’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. In what is presumably a flashback, there will be a car chase scene between him and Joker that eventually results in Bats on top of Joker and Harley’s sweet ride.

Ben Affleck was reportedly seen in Toronto on set, suggesting that we’ll see Gotham City’s protector up close and personal as opposed only being played by a stunt double from afar. That could lend credence to a rumor saying that Batman will corner Amanda Waller in her office and confront her about the government using dangerous criminals for their operations. We’ll have to wait and see just how big Batman’s role in the 2016 blockbuster actually is.

Lex Luthor

While it remains only a rumor at this point, with the character not yet mentioned in any official announcement about the film, it’s been heavily suggested that Suicide Squad will have a direct connection back to the events of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - specifically through Lex Luthor. We first heard about this back in October 2014, when it was reported that Jesse Eisenberg was in discussions with Warner Bros. about reprising the supervillain character.

One report claimed that the Suicide Squad will be sent to stop Luthor’s superhuman trafficking operation, and it’s later learned that he has a master plan involving Enchantress. It may be a while before we get anything firm on this subject, as Luthor’s mere presence in Suicide Squad could wind up being a spoiler for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. So we’ll just have to wait and see how things pan out.

There’s a good chance that Suicide Squad is going to be the hit film of the summer. With Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice and Captain America: Civil War first and foremost on most moviegoers’ minds, the stage is set for Suicide Squad to unexpectedly wow viewers when it’s finally released in August, much like Guardians Of The Galaxy did in the same spot back in 2014. It also helps that everything associated with Suicide Squad looks maniacal and awesome, including the recently released new poster that you need to instantly gaze upon below:

There’s quite a lot to savour and fawn over with this poster, which comes courtesty of Yahoo Movies. The first of which is Jared Leto’s The Joker. So far, director David Ayer and Warner Bros.’ marketing team have done a stellar job keeping information regarding the iconic villain and his particular involvement in Suicide Squad to a minimum.

The first trailer introduced most of the Suicide Squad standing alongside each other as they set off on their task. But when it cuts to reveal Jared Leto’s Joker, he's all by himself as he tortures some unidentified victim. 

Meanwhile, the first released ensemble promotional poster didn’t include The Joker, and there have been rumors that he will be much more of a free bird in comparison to Will Smith’s Deadshot, Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang, Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flagg, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc, and Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress. They’re all prisoners brought together by Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller.

The new poster reinforces that idea, as The Joker stands in the middle of an X, away from the rest of the Suicide Squad posse. The others are gathered together, and, for the most part, look serious and ready for battle. All except for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who rather playfully waves towards us, while also wielding a baseball bat that she probably doesn’t plan on smashing many home runs with. 

Obviously, it’s still only a poster, so there’s not much to really glean from it. However, at a push, the fact that Enchantress is right at the front could be construed as confirmation that her devilish antics lead to the Suicide Squad assembling, something that’s been rumored in the past. 

Unfortunately, Suicide Squad’s August 5, 2016, release date still seems like years, rather than months, away. Thankfully though, Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice now looms on the horizon, as it will finally be with us on March 26, 2016. This will, hopefully, only incite further anticipation for Suicide Squad and the burgeoning expansion of the DC Universe. 

The upcoming Suicide Squad has an eclectic and interesting ensemble cast to say the least. So, how do you make each character stand out and be unique? Well, if being named Captain Boomerang isn’t enough, Jai Courtney got some interesting advice from his director on how to play his part.

A new feature in Empire Magazine (via ComicBookMovie) includes one absolutely fantastic quote from Courtney about how he was told to play his part. He said:

That is certainly one way to put it. It’s always important to find your motivation as an actor, and apparently Boomerang’s motivation is that he’s an absolutely terrible person. Dave, in this case, is the film’s director, David Ayer, who must have a very clear vision of where Captain Boomerang fits amongst the rest of his Suicide Squad teammates. While the entire team is made up of anti-heroes, they’re all criminals after all, even if they will be the heroes of this particular story, it looks like Boomerang may be the least heroic of the crew.

It should be a fun diversion for Courtney, who’s become one of Hollywood’s go-to guys for the action hero role in recent years. Now he gets to trade that in to play a different sort of part. He also refers to Boomerang as a "complete bogan," which is Australian slang for a lower class person without sophistication or refinement. This description certainly fits with the parts of Boomerang that we know. His absolutely epic beard was apparently trimmed by Ayer himself and was meant to look like his buddy got drunk and cut his hair.

While the initial Suicide Squad trailer makes the crew out to be somewhat sympathetic, we now really need to reconsider that when it comes to Boomerang. If he’s the "shitbag" of the crew he may be the least likable among the group. There has to be somebody in there we really don’t like, right? You know that there will be those who are a bit more chaotic and not as easy to control. We can also see some potential conflicts among other members of the team. The trailer includes some scenes that show Will Smith’s Deadshot playing the part of middle-class father and husband. He and the rougher around edges Boomerang may not get along as well.

Captain Boomerang also has the unfortunate distinction of having one of the least cool names in the entire Suicide Squad. The more we learn, however, the more it looks like he may be one of the more entertaining characters to watch on screen. What are your thoughts on seeing Jai Courtney's "shitbag" next summer?

There was a big to-do when the Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice trailer dropped after San Diego Comic-Con. But that’s not the only DC property coming to movie theaters next year. David Ayer’s supervillain-packed Suicide Squad drops in August of 2016. They just released the footage they showed at Comic-Con, and it’s rad, and may or may not haunt your dreams in both a good and bad way.

Given the ensemble nature of the cast, some of these characters you’re already more than familiar with, while others are more out of left field, at least as far as casual fans go. So, we figured now is as good a time as any to run through the laundry list of distinctive comic book personalities that show up in the first Suicide Squad footage and that we’ll spend the next 13 months waiting to get to know better.

The big bad boss lady of the whole Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) took all the supervillains she could round up, "put them in a hole, and threw away the hole." A government agent, she is not someone to be trifled with, no matter what walk of life you come from.

Not originally a comic book character, Harley Quinn first popped up in the animated Batman series, but after seeing Margot Robbie’s rendition of the Joker’s protégé/sidekick, you may very well wish this was her movie without all of those other knuckleheads around taking up valuable screen time. Alluring, insane, and vicious as hell, she may very well wind up as the breakout character of Suicide Squad.

If nothing else, this role as Captain Boomerang may very well prove that we should start letting Jai Courtney speak in his natural Australian accent. He already has more personality and charisma here than anywhere else we’ve ever seen him. Traditionally an antagonist of The Flash, as you probably gathered from his name, he’s quite skilled with a boomerang.

Played by Cara Delevingne, Enchantress is torn between using her magical, mystical powers for good and evil, though we imagine, given her current circumstances and company, she has fallen prey to her darker impulses as of late, and should be cool to watch on a big screen.

Will Smith has almost exclusively played heroes on screen, so taking a villainous turn as Deadshot is something we’re keen to see. However, the character has often been portrayed as an antihero, and from this footage he appears to be grappling with the good and bad sides of his personality. However this incarnation shakes out, he’s one of the deadliest marksmen in the world, and a snappy dresser to boot.

Fresh off of playing RoboCop, Joel Kinnaman takes the role of Rick Flagg, an elite soldier and the de facto leader of the Suicide Squad under the guidance of Amanda Waller. He starts going on these suicidal missions after most of his earlier unit was wiped out and obviously has some issues to work through.

Played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje under heavy make up, both CGI and practical, Killer Croc may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he makes up for any lack of intelligence with sheer brutality, animalistic strength, and lighting fast reflexes. He also wears what looks like a Hannibal Lector mask in this trailer, which is creepy and awesome.

Not to be confused with the mask-wearing heavy metal band, Slipknot (Adam Beach) is a former chemist-turned-supervillain with a penchant for wielding durable ropes covered in a powerful adhesive of his own creation.

As you probably guessed due to her name, Katana (Karen Fukuhara) wields a magical sword, Soultaker, which steals the essence of those she kills and stores it within the blade. Usually a hero, she has worked in conjunction with Batman before, it will be interesting to see what role she plays in Suicide Squad.

Maybe the scariest looking of the Suicide Squad, Jay Hernandez’ El Diablo has some seriously creepy face tattoos going on. Several different characters have taken the name, but the current incarnation is a former criminal who adopted the moniker after encountering an earlier version who died but was resurrected by a shaman.

You know him, you love him, he’s going to give you nightmares, Jared Leto’s Joker promises to be much different, but no less striking, than other incarnations of Batman’s most notorious foe. If anything, from the short, psychotic burst we get here, coupled with the shiny grill and face tattoos, this version of the Clown Prince of Crime may be even more twisted and brutal than any we’ve seen on screen before.

And of course, Ben Affleck’s Batman shows up for a quick ride, but we’ve been seeing quite a bit of the Caped Crusader lately. Before he gets here, he’s going to have to go through the Man of Steel, which should be a neat trick.

Suicide Squad hits theaters everywhere August 5, 2016.

The party line on Alan Taylor’s Terminator: Genisys always seemed to be that Paramount wanted the latest chapter in the Terminator saga to operate as the start of a fresh trilogy. We have stories dating back to 2014 about sequels being shot back-to-back, structured around this young cast who’d be asked to carry the Terminator torch for a new generation. Will they still get a chance to make that happen?

The numbers this morning aren’t helping the case. Taylor’s Terminator: Genisys opened to $28.7 million over the holiday weekend, and a 5-day haul of $44.1M. IGN reports that this is lowest bow in the franchise’s decades-long history. Genisys couldn’t top either Jurassic World or Inside Out, two films that have been out for weeks now. Though all is not lost, as The Hollywood Reporter notes that the film earned a decent CinemaScore of B+, and picked up steam as the holiday weekend wore on.

The silver lining for Terminator: Genisys appears to be its international draw. Arnold Schwarzenegger, returning to his signature franchise as the T-800, remains a global superstar, and the sequel did much better overseas than it did in North America. THR says Genisys has banked $129.6 million internationally to date, so foreign receipts could save the day in the larger picture of the Terminator franchise.

But is it worth saving? The cast and crew certainly believe so, even as they hedged their bets heading in to opening weekend. While attending a Q-and-A for Terminator: Genisys in New York City, we were able to quote Schwarzenegger as saying that the demand of the fans should dictate whether the story started in Genisys gets to continue. And in a very revealing interview with The Daily Beast, director Alan Taylor admits that he knows his movie has gaping plot holes, and that vital information was intentionally left out so major questions could be answered in subsequent films. Taylor said:

But is that the right way to approach a franchise relaunch? Should you assume that you are going to get a chance to answer lingering questions? Because when Genisys ended, we had a number of issues we wanted to discuss, and now it’s possible that we aren’t going to get a chance to have them answered by the people who know what’s happening in this world.

Do I think Terminator franchise is dead? No. I think that Paramount needs franchises under its belt, and with a younger cast (of Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke and Jai Courtney) under contract, they will spin the weekend’s results in favor of continuing the series somehow. Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore already started laying the foundation for the "This Is A Win" narrative by saying to THR that Terminator: Genisys played "above what people thought we would," and going so far as to call the international numbers for the sequel "spectacular." Whether they believe it or not, that’s likely enough to keep the Terminator sequels – already dated for May 19, 2017 and June 29, 2018 – on the fast track to pre-production.

Next Summer’s Suicide Squad has done a pretty good job thus far keeping their plot under wraps. This has meant that if you’re going to go digging for information (which is a thing we do here) all you really have to go on is how things look in the photos and the public filming they’ve been doing. Speaking of looks, let’s talk about Captain Boomerang’s beard.

Jai Courtney was doing promo work for this weekend’s Terminator:Genisys when he was asked about his epic facial hair by HitFix. So apparently, David Ayer himself created the Boomerang Beard (which is a phrase that needs to become a hashtag). Now that is a hands on director. Courtney explained that he came into makeup for a meeting when Ayer just grabbed the clippers:

While it’s not clear how the wardrobe and makeup department feel about Ayer taking a set of clippers directly to one of the films stars, apparently these are things you can do when you’re in charge. So if you want to understand the type of character that Boomerang is, he is the type of guy who will let his buddy get drunk and then cut his hair. That actually says quite a lot about Boomerang’s judgement. He apparently has none.

While Courtney is trying to make light of the situation, it’s also fairly clear that he really doesn’t care for the beard. He says he doesn’t mind it but you can tell by the way he says that it wasn’t his idea, and that he’s ready to be done with it that he would have shaved it off in the middle of the interview if he thought he could get away with it. Courtney seems to have put his trust in the filmmakers but this isn’t the first time he’s been less than sure about his character.

Filming on Suicide Squad has left the public streets of Toronto so we have no idea where they are in the process, and by extension how long Courtney will have to continue to deal with his beard. Hopefully he won’t have to deal with it too much longer. And hopefully they won’t need to call him back for reshoots and make him grow it again.

While Jai Courtney may not like wearing the beard it is an absolutely impressive collection of facial hair. By giving Boomerang a unique look, we certainly get the impression of a unique character which is important when throwing this eclectic collection of villains together for the first time. When you need to introduce so many characters to the audience all at once it’s important to convey as much information as possible without having to waste valuable run time with explanations and dialogue. The beard says a lot all by itself.

We’re looking forward to meeting Captain Boomerang, and his beard, next August.

"I need answers, alright? Right now." That’s Jai Courtney as Kyle Reese in Alan Taylor’s Terminator: Genisys. But seeing as how Reese is the surrogate for the audience in this new sprint through the Terminator timeline, we all might be echoing that sentiment as we settle in for Genisys. Thankfully, Paramount has shared with us an exclusive character clip on Kyle Reese, with valuable insight into the actor’s preparation to play the role. Give it a watch:

We’ve been down this road before… sort of. Back in 1984, Kyle Reese – then played by Michael Biehn – was sent back in time from the distant future to protect Sarah Connor, the eventual mother of resistance leader John Connor. From what we have been able to learn, similar activity propels Terminator: Genisys forward, only, when Reese (Courtney) lands at his target destination, the Sarah Connor he thought he’d find is different, and nothing he expected comes to pass.

The way Jai Courtney describes it, his version of Kyle Reese is constantly playing "catch up" in Terminator: Genisys, dodging curveballs lobbed at his head because the timeline he now occupies has changed. How did it change? Well, without bending the space-time vortex too badly, a different T-800 traveled even farther back in time to protect young Sarah Connor from the time of her adolescence – think of him as a deadly "emotion" from Inside Out -- and the butterfly effect of that alteration has created a whole new sandbox in which to play.

How large will this sandbox eventually become? That’s for us to decide. We have been reporting for some time now that Paramount and Skydance would love for Terminator: Genisys to kick off a trilogy of films, and I’m confident that Jai Courtney, Jason Clarke and Emilia Clarke are signed on for multiple films. But the Terminator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, made it clear recently during a post-screening Q-and-A that it would be up to the audience to decide that they want more stories told in this universe, so we’ll see how clear the future becomes after Terminator: Genisys opens.

For now, we’re able to tell you that our own Mike Reyes is a big fan of the story that is bending Terminator in a new direction. He even whole-heartedly recommends seeing it in 3D, if it suits your schedule. Terminator: Genisys should be playing in a theater near you as you are reading this. Are you planning on checking it out?