A sneak peek of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad premiered at DC FanDome, giving audiences a look at the titular team. One of the more intriguing characters among the group was Idris Elba's Bloodsport, a mercenary with a vengeance who's best known for shooting Superman with a Kryptonite bullet.
Robert DuBois, aka Bloodsport, first appeared in John Byrne and Karl Kesel's Superman Vol. 2, #4. Known primarily as a master of rehabilitating the reputations of comic book characters, Byrne invented the character with the intention of infusing Superman's stories with grounded and timely villains. Two other characters later took the mantle from DuBois, but the film is clearly adapting the original version.
In this first appearance, Bloodsport rampages across Metropolis, ranting about how ungrateful the general populace is for his and Mickey's sacrifice in the Vietnam War. Superman appears to subdue the aggressor but is surprised when Bloodsport shoots him with a bullet made from Kryptonite. Superman's suspicion that Lex Luthor is behind the attack turns out to be true, as Lex has provided the villain with the kryptonite and a weapons transporter that allows him to constantly generate new firearms.
After Superman uncovers the plot, Bloodsport is just about to detonate a bomb when Jimmy Olsen arrives with a quadruple amputee. It's revealed that the man is DuBois' brother Mickey, who was injured when he went to Vietnam in place of his Robert, who dodged the draft. Mickey implores Robert to forget the war and put it behind him, so Bloodsport stands down.
It's no surprise that Gunn decided to incorporate such an obscure but ultimately compelling character into his motley crew of misfits. Producer Peter Safran described the film as a "gritty 1970s war movie," a theme that parallels DuBois' Vietnam-related backstory perfectly. At the same time, Bloodsport's origin will likely be adjusted, as he appears to be much too young to have been eligible to serve several decades ago.
The cast list has also already revealed one major departure from the source material -- Storm Reid will play Bloodsport's daughter Tyla. Their dynamic will act as a stand-in for the relationship between Will Smith's Deadshot and his daughter, as the star wasn't able to return for the soft reboot. Reid's role could also be to fill in for Mickey as Robert's moral compass, leading to him still having that emotional backstory.
However, Gunn and Elba have confirmed his most intriguing trait will carry over, and that that the big screen's Bloodsport will in fact be in prison for shooting Superman. This history will undoubtedly be a point of discussion for the other members of Task Force X, most of whom have never successfully taken on the Man of Steel. The casting may also be a tongue-in-cheek nod to Elba's relationship with the Superman character, as many fans have campaigned for him to be cast for the role in the past.
Though there aren't many stories that could potentially hint at DuBois' role on the squad, he will most certainly take on the role of the team's weapons expert and marksman. He may also serve as the team's emotional core, as none of the other villains have any relatives listed in the primary cast. Part of his journey may involve him reconciling with his daughter, who could bear a grudge against him for his criminal activity, especially if his characterization will take cues from Smith's Deadshot.
Whatever significance Bloodsport may have to the narrative, Elba's popularity suggests he will likely feature extensively. Still, producer Charles Roven has warned against trying to predict how the story will go. Even if Bloodsport seems primed to take on a major role in the story, it would certainly be a bold move on the part of Gunn to set the stakes by eliminating him early.