Top 5 DC Movies That James Gunn Should Tackle Next After The Suicide Squad
James Gunn and the Suicide Squad go together like peanut butter and jam.
Think about it. Before James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, the was the 2016 film Suicide Squad. The film featured big name actors like Will Smith and Margot Robbie. It also had a bunch of big explosions, and it had its fair share of juvenile jokes.
Oh ya, and it bombed at the box office. Critics and fans alike were less than impressed; it seemed like the collective nerd culture basically agreed to forget that the movie ever existed.
That amnesia appeared to penetrate even the minds of the high-ups at DC and Warner Bros, as they almost immediately started putting together a team and a budget for another crack at the team of anti-heroes who just can’t stop dying.
At the very top of that list was James Gunn. Gunn penned to direct the film, had already encountered success in the super hero film industry. Gunn managed to turn a group of no name heroes into the Guardians of the Galaxy. He combined heart and humor and is widely considered one of the best Marvel movies of all time.
Gunn’s magic touch extended to the new version of the Suicide Squad. It featured big name actors like Idris Elba and Margot Robbie (who brought back Harley Quinn), it had a bunch of explosions, and it had its fair share of juvenile jokes.
The Suicide Squad movie was a massive hit with both fans and critics. We call it “The Gunn Factor!”
So with Gunn’s success in the DC universe, we have put together five DC movies that Gunn should tackle next.
Harley and Ivy
This seems like a no brainer, no?
Margot Robbie has made herself and the live-action version of Harley Quinn inseparable. DC needs to take advantage of the massive success of Harley on the big screen.
In the comics, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, another semi-villain (who makes a VERY compelling case about the importance of taking care of the planet, by the way), form a relationship together. They turn towards good and help heal each other, and that would be very cool to see on the big screen.
Get it done, DC!
Secret Six
Secret Six may be the natural successor of the Suicide Squad. First created in 2005, Secret Six centers around a group of six mercenary supervillains, caught in the middle of righteous superheroes and diabolical supervillains.
It features familiar characters like Bane and Deadshot and could be an easy way to reintroduce Will SMith’s character into the DCEU.
It would also give Gunn a chance to work with Dave Bautista, who is on record saying he wants to work with the director in the DC universe. He would be perfect as the muscle-bound Bane, who is written in a funnier and more fatherly way in the original Secret Six comics.
Combine them with the leftovers of 2021’s Suicide Squad and you have a party.
Injustice
Set on an alternate version of Earth where Superman figured out that the only way to save Earth was to tyrannically control it after the Joker tricked him into destroying Metropolis and killing Lois Lane, Injustice is one of the coolest storylines in all of DC Comics.
Gunn’s live-adaptation of it could be legendary, or it could fall off the rails. Gunn, known for his comedic approach to serious issues, may not mesh well with the seriousness of Injustice. However, Gunn also has an incredible ability to make fans like and care for the characters they are seeing on the big screen.
Look at King Shark as the perfect example.
And that skill would crossover to Injustice well, as characters change sides and you may find yourself cheering for people who you once hated.
Deadshot
Let’s set the record straight: Will Smith as Deadshot was one of the few highlights of the original Suicide Squad. He wanted to return for the sequel, but a scheduling conflict gave us Idris Elba’s Bloodsport instead.
This could also explain where the assassin was during the events of The Suicide Squad before going into the Sinister Six.
Hitman
Written by Garth Ennis, who also co-created The Boys; This Hitman is not the same as the video game by the same name.
The story centers around Tommy Monaghan. Monaghan both a military vet and Gotham City citizen; becomes a hitman after being attacked by an alien.
Oh, he also gets X-ray vision and telepathy, which could both be slightly useful for a contract killer.
Any of these films would be great to give to the one and only James Gunn. Let’s just hope he works on all five!
