A new rumor may hint at the mysterious character actor Idris Elba is playing in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad.
When it was first reported that Elba was joining the cast of The Suicide Squad, it was initially expected that he would take over the role of Deadshot, originally played by Will Smith in 2016's Suicide Squad. However, those reports were then quickly followed up with the news that Deadshot had been removed from the script, with Elba now set to play a brand new character -- although details as to just who he'd be playing were rather sparse. Thanks to the folks at Geeks Worldwide, however, we may now have an idea as to who Elba will be playing in the film.
The site reports he may be portraying either Sportsmaster or Deathstroke.
While there has been no official word on Elba's casting, the site's implication that Elba may be playing Sportsmaster would follow with the rather out-there line-up Gunn has assembled thus far after bringing in characters such as Polka-Dot Man, played by Ant-Man's David Dastmalchian, and Ratcatcher. If the film is to follow the comics, Victor Gover, one character to assume the Sportsmaster mantle, was part of the Suicide Squad for a time. The other option, Deathstroke, however, is one that is sure to get fans talking.
Many will note that Joe Manganiello made a short cameo as the character in the credits for Justice League, setting him up for a villainous role in The Batman. However, with the latter having undergone massive changes, not least because Ben Affleck is now out and Matt Reeves is said to want to go in a new direction with a younger Caped Crusader, Manganiello's future as Deathstroke remains uncertain. It's entirely possible that the studio decides to recast the role, but given Variety's statement that Elba would be playing a "new character," that seems doubtful.
Also, according to the site, Warner Bros. and Gunn are currently working to cast an actress for the role of Elba's character's daughter in the film using the code-name, Drew. Per the site, the character is described as a "teenage thief" that doesn't really have any interaction with her father as he's reportedly in prison. While both options could work, the site also stresses that it's entirely possible Elba ends up playing an entirely different character -- one that typically does not have a daughter in the comics.
Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad is set to hit theaters on August 6, 2021.