"Shallows" director Jaume Collet-Serra could direct "Suicide Squad 2" if first-pick Mel Gibson declines the project.
"The name that I have heard, who could be in the mix, is Jaume Collet-Serra," entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider told Meet the Movie Press. In support of this rumor, Sneider brought up several reasons why WB would consider the 42-year-old director for the film. Chief among them is Collet-Serra's history of producing successful films on a mid-sized budget. WB has shown their confidence in Collet-Serra in the past; they named him as the director of the live-action adaptation of "Akira," the development of which has stalled.
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Known for directing films such as "House of Wax," "Orphan," and "The Shallows," Collet-Serra is currently working on "The Commuter," which will be released January 12, 2018. The movie stars Liam Neeson as Michael, who is unwittingly caught up in a criminal conspiracy that could mean life or death for the people on the train during his daily commute. The reception of Collet-Serra's work has varied considerably. While "House of Wax" was critically panned, holding a 25% on Rotten Tomatoes, "The Shallows" was better received, with a 78% on the review aggregator.
Though he's the frontrunner for the position, Gibson is a controversial figure, and he has previously stated that his directing "Suicide Squad 2" is "not a done deal." The "Hacksaw Ridge" director called DC's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" a "piece of shit," further adding that he's "not interested in the stuff." Gibson has also come under fire for homophobic and anti-Semitic comments that he's made in the past; the actor and director was also the subject of controversy when, in 2010, he reportedly threatened then-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva, which resulted in a restraining order.
Collet-Serra is not the only director being considered if Gibson declines. WB is reportedly eyeing Ruben Fleischer, Daniel Espinosa and Jonathan Levine as well. While not much is currently known about the film, Adam Cozad -- who wrote "The Legend of Tarzan" -- is writing the script.
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Released in 2016, "Suicide Squad" was critically panned. However, the movie, which was written and directed by David Ayer, grossed $745.6 million worldwide. As such, the film performed well enough in theaters to earn a sequel. Though Ayer's role in the production of "Suicide Squad 2" is unknown, he's currently slated to direct "Gotham City Sirens," which will focus more on Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn.
"Suicide Squad 2" does not yet have a release date.
(via IGN)