On August 5, which is just over a month away now, the world’s worst villains will take to the big screen in one of the year’s most anticipated films. Jared Leto’s Joker and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will be some of the most talked about characters from “Suicide Squad,” which looks to turn DC’s movie universe in the right direction. After Batman and Superman traded punches, fans were not overly impressed, leaving the “Skwad” to do the heavy lifting. Early reviews are very positive, and it looks to have a much lighter and fun tone than prior DC films.
I am a Marvel guy who loves everything about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but I am beyond excited for this film. It appears from the trailers and TV spots that DC has gotten this one right. One of the driving forces behind my excitement, along with countless other fans, is the uncertainty that surrounds the film. What I mean by that is we simply do not know what is going down in this film, as it is a different take on the superhero genre.
Why is that, you ask? Well for starters, our “heroes” are actually a group of bad guys. Then add in the fact that certain characters do not have clear cut roles, classic characters are being brought to life for the first time, and an all-time fan favorite is set to be portrayed in a new, and very different way.
Below are some of the top questions that surround the film, and why they are driving fans crazy to find out the answers come August 5.
What role will Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress play?
One of the most intriguing characters in the film will be Enchantress, partially because we do not know what role she will play. Is she a part of the team? Is she a true villain? Is she someone the team must capture? So many questions about the character build the anticipation.
In the trailer we see June Moone, the normal version of Enchantress, in several shots. In a few of those shots it appears she is very close to Rick Flag. So it seems entirely possible they are a couple, and then she gets turned into Enchantress. If that is true, the real question would be does she go totally evil at that point, making her the focal point of the squad’s mission?
Then there are clips of her in Enchantress form in the White House, where Amanda Waller appears to be making her pitch to get the Squad approved for her mission. So is Enchantress an example Waller brings with her to help convince her fellow suits, or does she crash the party, leaving all of the politicians convinced the Squad is their best bet? The fact that we do not see her with the rest of the team in a single clip leads me to believe it is option two, unless they simply kill her off before things heat up. Only time will tell.
Will Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn steal the show?
Every clip we have seen of Harley Quinn has been hands down awesome. Robbie seems like the perfect fit for the character. She seems totally insane, yet in a fun, loving way. Robbie embodies what fans will want in the Quinn character, and that is clear from the trailers.
So will she be the true star of the ensemble film? She will have to compete with the Joker and Will Smith’s Deadshot, but she has to be at least a co-favorite at this point. There is already talk of a potential spin-off movie for the character, so we know what the higher ups think already. If you were not a fan of Robbie before the film, and I will say I do not believe I have actually seen any of her other films, you will most likely be a fan when the credits roll.
Who is the main villain of the film?
When the good guys of the film are actually a bunch of villains, the lines get a little blurry. So who will actually be behind all the bad stuff that is set to go down? Will it be Enchantress? The government? Some unknown creature or person? Those zombie looking dudes in the trailers? The Joker?
The options are endless. The details of the Squad’s mission are unknown at this time, which makes predicting what exactly they will be up against virtually impossible to guess. But that is what makes this so fun. How often do you go into the film not knowing who you should be rooting against?
What character is Scott Eastwood playing?
Scott Eastwood is a solid young actor, and when it was announced he would be joining the film I was very pleased. When that announcement came out, no character names were attached, leaving many fans to speculate.
Since Scott is a young, up and coming actor, many are speculating he will have a much larger role going forward in the DC film universe. I for one would be all for that. This has led to speculation he could be playing an undercover Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, who is on a mission to dig up information on the Joker. Or he could be playing Roy Harper, also known as Arsenal (fans of the show “Arrow” will certainly recognize the name). Then there is my favorite guess – Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke (“Arrow” fans will also be familiar with this one).
What we do know so far is that it appears he will be one of Rick Flag’s foot soldiers out in the field with the Squad. Since any one of those names could essentially fit into that role in some shape or form, the question will likely go unanswered until August. And for all we know, he is playing a character of little to no importance moving forward and will simply be a minor player in one film.
How does Batman figure into the mix?
OK, so we know Batman is in the film. We have seen him in several clips in the trailer. In most of the clips we have been shown, he is chasing down the Joker and Harley. This is likely going to be a flashback scene that leads to Harley’s arrest. So the question that remains is, will this be all of Batman in the film, or will he have other scenes?
There have been rumors that he will play a bigger role than many expect, but how he will fit into the story is beyond me. One scene with him confronting Amanda Waller is rumored and entirely plausible, but I do not see that as a much bigger role.
So will it be a glorified cameo? Or will he truly factor into the story and impact what goes down? I can guarantee Ben Affleck knows, but I know he will not be allowed to spill the goods.
Where does it fit into the DC movie universe?
Simply put, how does it relate to the events we have already been witness to? And how will it impact what happens in future films? Given the amount of Batman-related villains in the mix here, I would say he will be the one most closely tied to this film. Makes sense given he will be in the movie itself. I certainly will not argue, as Ben Affleck’s Batman was clearly one of the bright spots of “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
We know the White House scene from that film will be a topic of conversation, as shown in the conversations Amanda Waller has in the final trailer with an unnamed gentleman in a suit. What other events from that movie will impact this one remains to be seen.
Who dies?
In a film called “Suicide Squad,” I think it’s a safe bet to assume not everyone will make it out alive. Harley Quinn and the Joker are the only two locks to be still breathing come credits.
Given Will Smith’s one of the film’s top talents, he too is likely safe, but his death would certainly lead to some buzz coming out of the film. As far as the rest of the cast, anyone of them can be seen as expendable. Slipknot is hands down the favorite to go, as he does not appear with the team in every clip shown, meaning he is likely the first to go.
But if he is the only one to die, it will feel like a letdown. So expect him, plus at least another one or two of the characters to go down. My money is on Slipknot, Enchantress and Killer Croc all biting the bullet.
Everything and anything related to Jared Leto’s Joker!
Where to begin. Hands down the Joker is what is driving the buzz for the movie. First off, we have no idea where he fits into the storyline. He is clearly not a member of the team. But is he being hunted down, or simply operating off to the side?
Next, we factor in this being the first appearance of the character since the late Heath Ledger’s classic take on the Clown Prince of Crime in “The Dark Knight.” It was that film, and that portrayal that cemented me as a Joker fan for life, with the character becoming my favorite villain. So needless to say, I was skeptical when it was announced the Joker would be coming back to the big screen. I was not ready to let go of Ledger’s Joker, as it was probably my favorite portrayal of any character ever, and I did not want to see anyone else in the role.
But then I saw the first trailer. And I was sold. He only got a few seconds of spotlight at the very end, but it was in those few seconds I was sold. Jared Leto’s Joker is going to be different, but in a crazy, demented and oh so entertaining way. All of the clips that have been shown since in the following trailers have helped to assure me this Joker is going to be wild. And he is hands down going to be my favorite part of the film.
So there you have it. Questions galore surrounding this big time August film. People will be chomping at the bit until the film gets released, and I am positive it will not disappoint. A few years back I knew “Guardians of the Galaxy” would be a hit simply based on the trailers and how well they incorporated music into them. “Suicide Squad” has followed that model to perfection, having released the greatest set of trailers I have ever seen, with each one set to a catchy tune that highlights the feel of the film.
August 5 cannot come soon enough. What questions do you have about the film? What are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments!
This article originally appeared on The Odyssey Online. For more on “Suicide Squad”, check out the Meet the Squad series right here at INSC. You can read more about Harley Quinn and Deadshot, as well as Enchantress, Rick Flag and the mystery character played by Scott Eastwood by following the linls. You can read the third part of the six piece series, which will delve into Squad members Killer Croc, Captain Boomerang and Katana, Thursday, June 30th, 2016.