With David Ayer all tied up with the female-led spinoff Gotham City Sirens, Warner Bros. has reportedly turned to Mel Gibson to take point for the upcoming Suicide Squad 2.
At least, that’s according to THR, reporting that Gibson is now mulling over the possibility of directing Task Force X’s next outing. Without an official offer or any sign of concrete commitment from either party, we should stress that Gibson’s potential appointment is tentative at best, as WB is simply courting the actor-director-writer at this early, early stage.
THR goes on to note that Gibson, who recently received an Oscar nomination for his stellar work on WWII epic Hacksaw Ridge, is currently getting to grips with the source material. But given that Suicide Squad 2 – or whatever it winds up being titled – is considered a high-priority project for Warner Bros., the studio won’t wait around for long, and has seemingly lined up Daniel Espinosa (Safe House, Life) as another potential candidate for the gig.
If nothing else, today’s rumor is further proof that, despite middling reviews and reports of production woes, Task Force X will return to the big screen after all. Margot Robbie is surely one of those most likely to reprise her role for the Suicide Squad follow-up, given the Aussie actress has signed on to executive produce Gotham City Sirens. The same logic applies to Will Smith’s Deadshot, after the Hollywood veteran hinted at a potential cameo role in David Ayer’s embryonic offshoot.
Other members of Task Force X have since expressed their desire to return as well – Jay Hernandez included – so it’ll be fascinating to see how things shake out as the Suicide Squad sequel begins to coalesce, with or without Mel Gibson at the helm. But tell us, what are your early hopes for Suicide Squad 2? Indeed, do you believe Gibson is the right director for the gig? Drop your knee-jerk reactions below.