James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is one of the most eagerly anticipated movies of 2021. Gunn has assembled an exciting cast of characters played by some extremely high-profile actors and entertainers, including Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Idris Elba (Bloodsport), John Cena (Peacemaker), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Pete Davidson (Blackguard) and both Taika Waititi and Sylvester Stallone in as-yet-unknown roles. However, Will Smith's Floyd Lawton/Deadshot, who starred in 2016's Suicide Squad, won't be appearing. Given Deadshot's popularity, though, it's difficult to imagine DC and Warner Bros. completely snubbing him going forward, so there's every chance that his absence from The Suicide Squad could be set up a solo movie.

Will Smith is a huge star who can easily headline a movie, as he's proven with such films as 2001's Ali, 2005's Hitch, 2007's I Am Legend and 2008's Hancock. It's easy to imagine him starring as Floyd Lawton once again, this time in a Deadshot solo outing. There's also precedent for the character doing his own thing.

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Will Smith in Hancock on street in rubble

In 1988, Deadshot got his own self-titled comic miniseries, which was by John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Luke McDonnell and Julianna Ferriter. The series takes a closer look at Deadshot's backstory and shows him plucked from his prison cell and sent to kill a crime boss known as El Jefe. However, in carrying out the mission, Deadshot discovers that the men who sent him on it have ulterior motives. Deadshot's past is also revealed in the comic, including his childhood, which was spent in a rich family home. Additionally, the Deadshot comic focuses a fair amount on his therapist attempting to uncover what drove him to kill. Overall, it's a story that would definitely fit with Smith's version of the character on the big-screen.

At the end of 2016's Suicide Squad, Deadshot finds himself back in prison, so temporarily removing him to take part in another dangerous mission -- this time without the aid of his criminal colleagues -- wouldn't be much of a stretch. However, given that Deadshot's actions in Suicide Squad resulted in him being allowed to see his daughter again, this potential plot line would also result in an intriguing dilemma for Floyd to deal with. Would he want to risk his life now that he has something to live for? Would his head be in the game when he has his daughter on his mind?

Related: The Suicide Squad Set Photo Offers New Look at DC's Villainous Team

Deadshot getting ready to kill

Putting Smith's character into such a tricky situation would enable him to reflect on his life, which in turn would allow the movie to flash back and forth between the past and present. We'd finally get to see what happened in his childhood and earlier life that made him become the assassin that drew the attention of Batman himself -- an intriguing possibility indeed.

Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad stars Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Michael Rooker as Savant, Flula Borg as Javelin, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Mayling NG as Mongal, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Steve Agee as King Shark, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Sean Gunn as Weasel, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, John Cena as Peacemaker, Taika Waititi and Storm Reid. The film arrives in theaters Aug. 6, 2021.

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