Star-studded ‘Suicide Squad’ cast includes Will Smith as Deadshot, Jared Leto as The Joker
When Warner Bros. announced a huge slate of upcoming DC comic book movies heading to the big screen over the next few years, they also announced several cast members for films like The Flash and Aquaman. But we learned very little about Suicide Squad, which, if it follows a plot similar to the comic universe, will demand a large cast of talented actors.
Well, that cast has been announced, and it’s appropriately big in scope and stardom.
One of the biggest casting tidbits is the revelation that Jared Leto (seen recently in Dallas Buyers Club) will be playing The Joker, a character not previously known to be planned for the film at all (I could be wrong, but I don’t believe he’s ever been part of the Suicide Squad in the comics). After Heath Ledger’s Academy Award-winning performance as The Joker in The Dark Knight, Leto has huge shoes to fill, and it will be interesting to see his take on the popular villain.
Another huge name joining the cast is Will Smith as Deadshot, the lethal assassin who you might have seen on the CW show Arrow if you’re not big on reading the comics themselves. And because playing one major DC villain (Bane) isn’t enough, Tom Hardy will be Rick Flagg.
Rounding out the squad are Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Boomerang and Cara Delevingne as Enchantress.
Not yet cast is the woman who commands the squad, Amanda Waller. According to Variety, “the studio’s shortlist of actresses being eyed for the role includes Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Oprah Winfrey, whom sources say would be WB’s first choice for the part.” Jesse Eisenberg is also rumored to be reprising his Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice role as Lex Luthor.
In the DC Universe, the Suicide Squad is a group of jailed villains (usually of the “super” variety) that the government sends on — who’d of thunk it? — suicide missions. They’re offered a chance at “redemption,” but they can’t expect to make it through alive.
Source: Variety