With a year to go before Suicide Squad unfolds its dark magic on us all, now's as good a time as any to start teasing some of the deeper mysteries of who those on the back bench of the film's cast are playing. That's not to say that those cast members are less important, but let's face it: you haven't been talking about Ike Barinholtz's role in the film as much as Will Smith's – and we've known who Smith was going to play since day one. So now that the question's been raised, just who exactly is Barinholtz playing in the twisted labyrinth of the Suicide Squad?
Comic Book Movie recently threw the spotlight on some comments The Mindy Project co-star had made in reference to whichever character he'll play in David Ayer's DC Comics film. As any one could expect, the remarks are cryptic enough to throw off the scent, but could lead to an intriguing possibility. That said, Barinholtz's remarks were as follows:
I can tell you my character in that movie is someone you would not want at your house for dinner. He’s a very troubled human being.
Right up front, we can take this as proof that Ike Barinholtz's rumored status as Dr. Hugo Strange could in fact be true. Dr. Strange is a disturbed medical professional, who is a constant threat to Batman as he is the only person to have figured out his secret identity of Bruce Wayne. So taking the line about "someone you would not want at your house for dinner," it would look like Barinholtz is speaking to the deranged behavior exhibited by the character. Of course, when it comes to the more oddball side of speculation, there's an interesting route that clue could lead us down if we chase it enough.
Going back to the line of Barinholtz's character not being someone you'd invite for a meal, you could assume that this is an overt reference to cannibalism. Seeing as the only flesh-eating member of the current Suicide Squad line-up is Killer Croc – whose already being played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje -- it could be a character who isn't necessarily part of the anti-hero line up. One such possibility is Hannibal Bates, aka "Everyman" - a man who can mimic the appearance and powers of anyone that he eats a piece of. This possibility, while a little out there, would tie Batman v. Superman: Dawn Of Justice all the closer together, as Lex Luthor is the one responsible for the Everyman project and recent rumors surrounding his character point to his dabbling in genetic enhancements .
So which is it? Is Ike Barinholtz going to play Hannibal "Everyman" Bates, or is he in fact going to Evil Medical School to become Dr. Strange? Honestly, it's still too early to call, despite the fact that reports continually list him as pretty much a lock Strange. For now, we'll just have to keep our ears open for any other clues Barinholtz and company drop that will keep us moving towards the truth by opening day. Suicide Squad opens on August 5, 2016; cannibals or not.
