Writer-director James Gunn's 'The Suicide Squad' has been generating a lot of buzz of late.

'The Suicide Squad' hasn't even entered production but there has been news after news item about it. DC fans are very excited - we're just hoping it'll save the car crash that was 2016's 'Suicide Squad'.

Here's a rundown on what you need to know about it.

 

How is 'The Suicide Squad' related to 'Suicide Squad'?

According to producer Peter Safran, 'The Suicide Squad' won't be a sequel to the 2016 film. Safran described it as a "total reboot", but it's not quite that either, given some of the cast from DC's last effort with the band of anti-superheroes are returning. Rather, it's a follow-up while not being a direct sequel, and "relaunch" of the franchise with mostly new characters.

 

Who's in it?

Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney and Joel Kinnaman are all returning. They respectively play Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Captain Boomerang and Col. Rick Flag in 'Suicide Squad'. No return for Jared Leto as Joker, thankfully, while Will Smith is also out.

Idris Elba was originally going to take over the latter's role as Deadshot. However, because Smith only dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and DC might want a look-in on his character in the future, a new character is being written for Elba. A possible role he could be taking is Bronze Tiger, who in the Squad comics serves as second-in-command under Rick Flag.

John Cena is rumoured to be playing The Peacemaker. Benicio del Toro is said to be playing the villainous The General, but this is unconfirmed. Another name attached to the movie that's stirring in the rumour mill is former 'Doctor Who' star Peter Capaldi and Pete Davidson of 'SNL' in a cameo role. The nature of their exact roles remains disclosed.

David Dastmalchian and Daniela Melchior will play Polka-Dot Man and Ratcatcher, respectively. Other members of the superhero team will include King Shark, to be played by Steve Agee. Recent cast additions in undisclosed roles include Flula Borg, Nathan Fillion and 'Thor Ragnarok' director Taika Waititi.

 

Wasn't there some kind of James Gunn controversy?

Last summer, James Gunn was fired from 'Guardians of the Galaxy 3' when tasteless tweets he posted from ten years ago resurfaced. He was then hired by Warner Bros/DC to write a completely new script for 'The Suicide Squad', which he'd also direct. Gunn was reinstated by Disney as director of the threequel in March.

 

So James Gunn directs for Marvel and DC now?

Indeed he does. The priority at the moment is 'The Suicide Squad.' After that he'll be back in the Disney studio lot to make 'GOTG3'.

 

When does 'The Suicide Squad' hit cinemas?

Not for a while, we're afraid.

Word has it there’s a table reading for 'The Suicide Squad' on September 11th with production starting 12 days later at Pinewood Studios in Atlanta.

It has a scheduled release date of August 6, 2021.