Shazam! Producer Promises DC Movies Can Still Be Dark

Shazam! Producer Promises DC Movies Can Still Be Dark

The DC live-action universe has had a rocky life in theaters, full of very high highs and disastrous lows. Luckily for Warner Bros., things seem to be on the upswing after the poor critical and box office performance of Justice League. DC is still surfing on the high of Aquaman's success, and anticipation is at a fever pitch for David F. Sandberg's upcoming blockbuster Shazam!

Shazam! will hit theaters in a matter of days, bringing the dual-personal title character into live-action for the first time. The movie's tone is in stark juxtaposition to Zack Snyder's bleak dramas that started the universe. But according to Shazam! producer Peter Safran, that doesn't mean that the DCEU won't have dark and gritty installments. As he tells it:

I think that DC has the same idea we do now, which is every movie that they make should have the right tone for that particular character. Shazam is such a fun character. He is all about wish fulfillment. He is fun and funny, and that is the tone that you should have for the film. Aquaman has got a tone, fantastical element. Shazam! is fun and funny. Wonder Woman’s got her thing. I think they realize each tone has to be specific for each movie.

Rather than trying to make one uniform movie, it looks like the DC universe will continue giving more power to the directors. As such, a dark movie will happen as soon as the story and characters call for it.

Peter Safran's comments IGN are sure to be a relief to DC fans who enjoy all the darkness its stories have to offer. While Shazam! is light hearted, there's been tragic stories for many of the characters on the page. Especially Batman, whose origin in based in trauma and childhood loss. The Dark Knight and others simply need to be dark, and have a ton unlike the two most recent releases.

In the same interview from Shazam!'s red carpet, Peter Safrin directly addressed Batman and Todd Phillips' Joker, which is expected to be a dark drama focused on a mentally ill villain. Safrin expanded his thoughts, saying:

Listen, there are certain characters like Batman, like the Joker, that dark tone is perfect for them. It’s what you really want to see.

So while Billy Batson and Freddy may have their childhood games in Shazam!, we shouldn't expect the entire DC Universe to go family friendly. There are projects coming down the pipeline which should have their share of dark material, so the studio is going to have to flip between vastly different projects. In addition to Joker and The Batman, Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn) should utilize a mixture of drama and comedy. There's also Wonder Woman 1984 to look forward to, although that Patty Jenkins has up her sleeve for the sequel is anyone's guess.

Shazam! will bring something unique to not only the DC universe, but the superhero genre as a whole. Still functioning as an origin story, the blockbuster will follow 14 year-old Billy Batson as he's given amazing powers from a magical wizard. By saying the word "Shazam", Billy transforms into an adult sized superhero, capable of flight, super strength, and electricity manipulation. But since Billy doesn't know much about superheroes, his foster brother Freddy will step in to guide him toward his destiny.

This marks the first time that a modern superhero focus on the perspective of kids. In cinematic universes, there are tons of us regular folks who are living in a superheroic world. Children have a specific experience; for instance, Billy's friend Freddy is a superfan. Freddy has been following the events of movies like Batman v Superman and Justice League, so he'll be able to help Billy become Shazam.

Shazam! look it's going to be a super fun big screen adventure, and it's early reception has been positive. But moviegoers are still going to want dark and gritty installments later in the DC universe. Aquaman might have focused on family drama and a Game of Thrones-esque struggle for underwater power, but James Wan's blockbuster wasn't especially dark.

Darker subject material and tone will no doubt accompany Todd Phillips' Joker, which isn't going to be connected to the rest of the DC universe. Phillips will give the iconic Batman villain an origin story, and explain how a clown became Gotham's biggest threat. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, the project is expected to be decidedly darker than the most recent installments in the shared universe.

On the same page, Matt Reeves' The Batman should have some darkness to it. Gotham's Protector is usually surrounded by loss and murder, and the developing blockbuster will reportedly include a few members of Batman's rogue gallery. The project will follow a younger version of Bruce Wayne, and focus on Batman's top notch detective skills. This is a new approach to the character onscreen, so let's also hope there's the proper amount of darkness in the movie.

Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) should be an interesting movie, as it'll walk the line between serious mob drama and quirky action romp. Cathy Yan's upcoming blockbuster will once again focus on the denizens of Gotham City, including the villainous Black Mask and Bat-family member Huntress. The movie is also a spinoff for Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, who debuted in Suicide Squad. Harley's inclusion obviously means there will be plenty of comedic beats in Birds of Prey, but the characters that make up the ensemble have tragic and violent pasts. Plus, Black Mask is known as a ruthless mob boss in Gotham.

There will be plenty of room for darkness in the future of the DC live-action universe in the future. For now, fans can celebrate that the studio seems to have finally found its footing, and is producing a variety of exciting projects. And with Shazam! flying into theaters in just days, we may have another DC success story on our hands. And that's in no small part due to its unique tone.

Shazam! will arrive in theaters on April 5th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

When Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Might Open

When Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 Might Open

In an absolutely shocking move, Disney yesterday rehired James Gunn as the director of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Gunn was fired from his position last year after poor-taste decade-old social media posts resurfaced. Fans, filmmakers, and actors voiced their displeasure over the decision at the time. Now, Gunn is back in the director's chair, but this does raise some questions about when Vol. 3 will hit theaters.

By our calculations, it's possible that Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 won't arrive in theaters until 2023, due to James Gunn's new commitment to DC and The Suicide Squad.

After James Gunn was let go by Disney, it wasn't that long until Warner Bros. scooped him up to write and direct the Suicide Squad reboot. It was a big story at the time that one of Marvel's most prominent directors made the jump to DC. Even though Gunn is back with Marvel, his Suicide Squad movie is reportedly still on, and Marvel is willing to wait for Gunn to wrap that project to finally move forward with Vol. 3.

The Suicide Squad is currently expected to begin filming this fall with a release date set for August 2021. That means Gunn probably won't be able to start production for Vol. 3 until either late 2021 or early 2022. Marvel's normal production schedule usually takes about one year, so that puts Vol. 3 in theaters by 2023 -- six years after the release of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Thankfully, there may already be some shortcuts Vol. 3 can take. James Gunn had already finished the script before he was fired. There are no doubt some rewrites and tweaks still left to be done, but at least there's a complete draft of the screenplay.

Of course, this is all assuming that The Suicide Squad keeps its release date and shooting schedule. Whether or not that gets pushed backward or forward really impacts what Vol. 3 will do and how much focus James Gunn can devote to it.

As of now, Marvel doesn't have any films slated to release in 2023. It has three films slated for 2022, but it's unclear which of its in-development projects will be attached to the dates. The other films that Marvel has in the pipeline are Black Widow, The Eternals, Shang-Chi, Black Panther 2, Doctor Strange 2, and the inevitable but still unannounced Captain Marvel 2. A movie like Guardians 3 will likely need that prime May real estate, so we will have to wait and see how Marvel's schedule shakes out.

There used to be a big question mark on Guardians 3, but now it's just a little bit smaller as fans can relax knowing the franchise is back in James Gunn's hands. We'll be paying close attention to how this all shakes out so stick with CinemaBlend and we'll keep you updated.

Why The X-Men Cast Loves Returning To Their Roles Every Few Years

Why The X-Men Cast Loves Returning To Their Roles Every Few Years

One benefit of joining a superhero franchise is that, so long as you are doing a good job of adapting your comic-book source material, you get to return every few years and continue to develop the character. This can mean exploring new sides of a complicate hero (or villain). And sometimes, as was the case with Sir Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman, you can leap years into the future and play veteran shades of a character you helped create on screen. (And if you haven’t seen them in Logan yet, what the hell are you waiting for?)

We realized this when sitting down with the Dark Phoenix cast in London recently. Some members of the ensemble have been with this franchise since 2011’s X-Men: First Class, which introduced younger versions of Charles Xavier (James McAvoy), Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence). Evan Peters joined the fray in X-Men: Days of Futures Past, while Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan and Alexandra Shipp signed on with X-Men: Apocalypse.

Seeing as how they were getting a chance to evolve their takes on the characters in Dark Phoenix, under the guidance of new director Simon Kinberg, I asked them what they really enjoyed about getting to come back and revisit their roles every couple of years. Michael Fassbender made the connection to the roles his colleagues are getting in top-notch television shows these days, telling CinemaBlend:

I suppose when you watch a lot of the great television that’s out there at the moment, and it all for me started with The Sopranos, when you really get to dive in and really get to know these characters and follow them through different stages in their lives and different points in their life, where they’re at, it’s more of an in-depth study. That’s what this has allowed us to do, over four films, as opposed to just coming in [and] doing a standalone piece.

His co-star, James McAvoy, elaborated on that, noting:

Sometimes, you make a film and it’s just a standalone film. You put so much of yourself into it, and then it’s done. You walk away. And there’s a virtue in that. That’s great, because you get to just move on with your life and do something different. Sometimes you think back and go, ‘That was like, that was part of me that went into that.’ So, with Charles… you put a lot of yourself into it, but we get to come back a little and we get to reconnect and make something that lasts a little longer than just that three months or the two months where you are making a movie.

The X-Men cast seems to have developed into a professional family over the years – and how could they not? They have been collaborating with each other on the same saga for the better part of a decade, contributing to the storylines for Days of Futures Past, First Class, and Apocalypse before reuniting now for Dark Phoenix.

James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender noted that they have seen their own roles in the industry evolve over the same time frame, and it has been exciting seeing how the industry views the X-Men family and the work that they do:

Fassbender: It’s also nice to come back and work with the group that we have. It’s a fantastic bunch pf people. Really talented, but also generous of spirit. And so yes, it’s nice to come back. There’s the familiarity there, but there’s also something new.

McAvoy: Even that, within the family of the filmmakers, as well, watching different evolutions happen there. Watching Simon [Kinberg] step into the director’s chair. And watching Sophie [Turner] step up and lead the movie.

Fassbender: And watching Jennifer…

McAvoy: Oh my God, become the biggest movie star in the world! From an 18-year-old – she was, like, in a film that had done alright to, like, the biggest movie star, ever. [Laughs]

Sophie Turner is a pretty massive star in her own right, thanks to the part of Sansa Stark on the wildly successful HBO drama Game of Thrones. In that situation, similar to the X-Men, she was able to return to the project every few years and keep evolving the way that the character was portrayed.

But when we spoke to Turner about Jean Grey and the X-Men, she singled out a specific device in this series that helps keep the characters fresh and new, explaining:

That’s the thing that I love so much about these movies is being able to develop a character over years. And the great thing is, as well, between each of these movies [there’s] 10 years time. They jump for 10 years. So every time, you have to go back and go, ‘Hmmmm, what have they been up to? What developments have been made in their lives?’ That’s something that I love, just fleshing out a storyline.

And sometimes, the ability to come back and live inside of a franchise just allows the cast to better understand the larger picture about how these movies are made. Just because you have made one doesn’t mean that you are automatically an expert on massive tentpoles. Even Evan Peters, who has put his Quicksilver into several memorable X-Men moments, admitted to CinemaBlend:

I think, also, in terms of, just shooting these films is a whole technical masterpiece that I don’t even – I’m not even smart enough to understand even a little bit of it. So it’s just kind of amazing to watch them do that and be a part of that so coming back, you sort of have a little bit of a better idea of what you’re in for, which allows a little more freedom to be creative and explore different sides of the character.

That’s refreshingly cool to hear that the actors in these massive blockbusters are still learning and growing with each new chapter, developing their roles and refining their approaches to how their comic characters are portrayed on screen.

The Dark Phoenix cast had more to say about this subject, so give our cast interview a glance:

In Dark Phoenix, the X-Men must band together and save one off their own after Jean (Sophie Turner) comes in contact with the alien Phoenix Force, enhancing her powers and putting the mutant telepath in danger. The new movie is being viewed as the culmination of the X-Men saga, so go see how it all ends when Dark Phoenix opens in theaters on Thursday night, June 6.

Tomb Raider 2 Just Took A Major Step Forward

Tomb Raider 2 Just Took A Major Step Forward

Last year, the iconic video game character Lara Croft returned to the big screen with the Tomb Raider reboot, starring Alicia Vikander as this new iteration. Although that film didn’t exactly usher in the long hoped-for, perpetually delayed golden age of video game movies, it looks like this new Lara Croft will get another opportunity to make that happen. That’s because Tomb Raider 2 just took a major step forward by hiring a writer.

Writers Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Alastair Siddons handled the script duties for Tomb Raider, but MGM and Warner Bros. have brought in some new talent, hiring Amy Jump to pen the sequel, according to Deadline. Most of Amy Jump’s big screen work has come in collaboration with director and her partner, Ben Wheatley. Together they co-wrote 2016’s Free Fire and the upcoming Freak Shift. Amy Jump also wrote the screenplays for Wheatley’s High-Rise and A Field in England.

Amy Jump has experience writing action in Free Fire and apparently Tomb Raider star and Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander liked what the writer brought to the table for Tomb Raider 2. We don’t yet know what the story will be for Tomb Raider 2, but the first film ended on something of a cliffhanger, so I would expect Lara Croft to go on another globe-trotting, tomb-raiding adventure where she continues to fight the shadowy Trinity organization that has infiltrated Croft Holdings.

It is still early, and in addition to the story, we don’t know who the cast will consist of beyond Alicia Vikander or who will direct the sequel, be it Tomb Raider director Roar Uthaug or someone new. Nevertheless, this is a major step and indicates that Tomb Raider 2 is moving towards becoming a reality, and that Vikander’s Lara Croft will get at least two films just like her predecessor Angelina Jolie, who first brought the heroine to life on the big screen.

This news may come as a bit of a surprise to some considering that Tomb Raider didn’t exactly blow the doors off the box office. Domestically, the film never hit number 1 and ended its run with less than $60 million. Lara Croft had much better luck finding treasure overseas though and Tomb Raider finished with a worldwide total of $274.6 million. That’s nearly triple its $94 million production budget.

With this news, it is clear that MGM and WB see value in keeping this rebooted Tomb Raider going with the hopes that it develops into a successful franchise, and it has the potential to do just that. The first film seemed to have a lot going for it going in, but ultimately didn’t click together for a lot of people and critics. Tomb Raider has a 52% Rotten Tomatoes score, and yet, given the competition, some would still argue that it was the best video game movie to date.

Hopefully the sequel can capitalize on the elements that worked in the first movie while shoring up those that didn’t. Alicia Vikander is incredibly talented and her lead performance was one of the highlights of the movie, so a sequel with her in it immediately has serious potential. That it seems that she approved of Amy Jump writing the sequel is also encouraging. Maybe we can even get an Angelina Jolie cameo this time around.

Tomb Raider 2 does not yet have a release date, but we will keep you updated as this sequel moves forward. In the meantime check out our 2019 Release Schedule to see all the movies headed your way this year.

Netflix's The Perfection Trailer Welcomes Get Out's Allison Williams Back To Horror

Netflix's The Perfection Trailer Welcomes Get Out's Allison Williams Back To Horror

In Get Out, Allison Williams proved to be quite the horror villain as Rose Armitage, a seemingly normal and harmless person who was really a cold and menacing sociopath. I mean, did you see how she ate her cereal? What a monster! The actress seemed to relish the role, and now she is returning to the horror genre for Netflix’s upcoming The Perfection. The first trailer for The Perfection has arrived, and yes, Allison Williams looks creepy in it. Take a look:

It really is a tough beat to be an artistic prodigy in movies these days, because inevitably your competition and friends are all plotting to kill you. The way the trailer for The Perfection starts off, you can tell that something is not quite right. Allison Williams’ Charlotte seems to not be taking the plight of Logan Browning’s Lizzie very seriously, as if she suspects it is all in her head.

We are then given glimpses of Charlotte and Lizzie and see that they are fellow musicians, friends and perhaps lovers. However, Lizzie has attained a real level of fame that Charlotte is perhaps jealous of, and Allison Williams looks positively devious in the role. Charlotte’s feigned concern and confusion is revealed for what it is when she pulls out a butcher knife, basically proposing that Lizzie cut off her bug-infested arm.

It’s a hilarious and creepy moment in a trailer full of unsettling imagery. The Perfection trailer has plenty of body horror elements with the vomit, the bugs under the arm and the head shaving. There are also a bunch of strange images of food, from a raw chicken to tomatoes to some kind of Asian dish. The food all takes on a nauseating quality in the context of the trailer though and something tells me this one is best watched on an empty stomach.

What’s interesting about The Perfection is that it’s not entirely clear if the horror elements in the film are all “realistic” or if they will go into the realm of the supernatural. There is a surreal quality to the trailer and there might be some sort of psychological element at play, because we do see indications that someone may be undergoing electroshock therapy. And although Allison Williams’ character appears to be nefarious, it also seems like she isn't in complete control of what's going on.

I really dug the dark humor in this trailer and it’s great to see Allison Williams in another horror film after her disturbing performance in Get Out. I really have no idea what is going on in this movie, but I look forward to laughing hysterically, barf bag in hand. You can check out the poster for The Perfection below.

The plot of The Perfection finds Allison Williams’ troubled musical prodigy seeking out the star student of her former school, and the journey they go on together has dark and shocking (also gross) consequences. From Don Hemingway director Richard Shepard, The Perfection debuted at Fantastic Fest last year to largely positive reviews that indicate it is a total blast and a movie that is full of surprises.

The Perfection arrives on Netflix on May 24. For all of the theatrical releases headed your way this year, check out our 2019 Release Schedule.

The Wolf Of Wall Street’s Trial Has Begun In Malaysia

The Wolf Of Wall Street’s Trial Has Begun In Malaysia

Back in 2013, the release of Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street was the smash hit that not only made a cultural impact on pop culture, it also made a huge splash with critics as well. But the financing that went into the film came into question not too long after, as investor 1Malaysia Development Berhad, 1MDB for short, became the focus of an investigation that alleged the funds granted to make the film were ill gotten goods. Now, almost six years after the film’s release, a key figure in the scandal is about to go on trial in connection with these charges of malfeasance.

Former Prime Minster of Malaysia Najib Razak, who was recently arrested in connection to the 1MDB scandal, is the man going on trial, as he created the sovereign wealth fund, which by intent is supposed to invest in “real and financial” assets globally. 1MDB was kind of like a 401(k) plan for the country of Malaysia. The intent, overall, is to enrich the country whose money is being entered into this sort of financial arrangement.

Only, as the charges mentioned by The Hollywood Reporter allege, Najib Razak abused those funds by funneling them into his own high living lifestyle, which included helping fund The Wolf of Wall Street. In addition to funding the film, the money went into celebrating it in a fashion that sounds similar to the events depicted within the film. Now, years of investigation and litigation surrounding are about to kick into high gear, as this trial is the latest step in the overall case against 1MDB and its actions.

Previously, we’d learned that the U.S. Department of Justice cut a deal with Razak’s stepson, and Red Granite producer, Riz Aziz, in which a $60 million settlement was paid to close off a lawsuit from the state of California. Though that settlement was legally announced as no admission of wrongdoing or guilt on the part of Red Granite Productions, so that was somewhat of a temporary reprieve in the overall matter.

Making this story all the more unbelievable is the fact that Jordan Belfort, the Wolf of Wall Street himself, had a deep seated feeling that some familiar tricks were being played behind the scenes on the film depicting his own financial crimes. But, sometimes, the truth needs to be discovered bit by bit, eventually creating a provable pattern of behavior. A pattern that now stands as proof that Najib Razak could have been the head of the most ambitious scheme in political, financial and filmmaking history.

This will definitely be a case to watch, as it’s a pretty large and unique incident that the world will want to avoid allowing to happen in the future. Even more interesting will be the potential fallout and reaction of producer/star Leonardo DiCaprio to this further movement of this Wolf of Wall Street scandal. At the very least, it’d probably be a good idea to pay back the money that he earned for playing his part in the film’s production, as a gesture of good faith.

The Wolf of Wall Street is currently on Digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.

How The Suicide Squad Movie Characters Compare To Their Comic Counterparts

How The Suicide Squad Movie Characters Compare To Their Comic Counterparts

When Marvel released a movie about a ragtag group of prison inmates who reluctantly band together to save their world from a powerful villain (i.e. Guardians of the Galaxy), DC said, "Well, we can do that!"

All kidding aside, Warner Bros' 2016 hit Suicide Squad directed by David Ayer was a rare kind of comic book movie that made heroes out of the bad guys. Alongside Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker (who was not actually on the team), the DC supervillains who were brought on as Suicide Squad characters included Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), and even Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney in, maybe, his best role).

Several members of the original cast also is set to return for the 2021 Suicide Squad sequel, The Suicide Squad, written and directed by the obvious choice, Guardians of the Galaxy helmer James Gunn.

Of course, if you are a bigger fan of comic book movies than comic books, your only knowledge of the Suicide Squad is from what the movie has shown you. The truth is that the history of Task Force X goes back even further in the DC comics universe than Amanda Waller's proposal to have bad guys try on the hero life for size. So let's look at the similarities and differences between the Suicide Squad characters and their printed page counterparts. First, here's some background.

Suicide Squad (comics, 1959-present)

The Suicide Squad, a moniker now used to describe bad guys forced into doing good, has existed in multiple iterations and concepts in DC comics since 1959. For instance, the original team, created by writer Robert Kanigher and artist Ross Andru, first appeared in DC’s The Brave and the Bold series and consisted of expendable soldiers taking on more unusually dangerous assignments.

The mythos of the Suicide Squad were expanded upon in DC’s Secret Origins series, that revealed the existence of several World War II era “Suicide Squadrons” under the name Task Force X. But then in 1987, DC writer John Ostrander revived the Suicide Squad moniker to create its modern iteration, which sees powerful government official Amanda Waller forcing the world’s most feared supervillains to carry out dangerous missions to help save the world they don’t even care about.

The Suicide Squad has been made up of many superhero adversaries over the years, including Penguin, Poison Ivy, Count Vertigo, Doctor Light, Killer Frost, Blockbuster and many more. But what about the characters who did appear in the Suicide Squad movie? How do these comic book anti-heroes compare to their cinematic interpretations?

Deadshot

Floyd Lawton is an expert marksman and moonlights as one of the DC universe’s deadliest assassins under the moniker Deadshot. His first appearance as a Batman villain in 1950 saw him sporting a pair of six shooters, an eye mask and a three-piece suit and top hat combo, before his attire evolved to a red jumpsuit, white wraparound head mask and assault rifles.

In the Suicide Squad movie, Will Smith plays Deadshot as a big softie with a rough exterior who just wants to do right by his daughter, Zoe.

In the comics, Deadshot is a coldblooded sociopath with no regard for human life whose only motivation to contribute to the Suicide Squad is his desire to die in a blaze of glory, since he does not consider his life one worth living.

As for his relationship with his daughter, he only discovers her existence by accident and chooses to “do right by her” by declaring war against the local gangs plaguing his her hometown before faking his death instead of seeking a typical fatherhood role. I could never imagine Will Smith as a deadbeat dad, anyway, especially after The Pursuit of Happyness.

Harley Quinn

The Joker has never been the romantic type, yet somehow Harley Quinn is head over heels for the clown. The 2016 Suicide Squad movie reveals that Quinn (Margot Robbie) was formerly Harleen Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, before Jared Leto’s Joker manipulated her into a sadistic basket case whom he treats as a pet.

Margot Robbie just about nails the portrayal, the most crucial (and controversial) amendment being her appearance, which is a far cry from the outfit she frequently wore pre-2011.

Before Harley became a recurring member of the Suicide Squad and even before she became a staple of DC Comics, animation icons Bruce Timm and Paul Dini introduced her as Joker’s lover in Batman: The Animated Series in 1992.

To match her master - I’m sorry, "partner in crime," she dons powder white face makeup and a red and black jester outfit. She was never intended to be the highly sexualized, pigtailed, and fish-net clad interpretation the Arkham Asylum games introduced. Suicide Squad borrow from those games, as well as her New 52 look.

To be fair, who’s to say Harley Quinn would not eventually grow out of jester garb. The ‘90s were a different time.

Amanda Waller

Maintaining a ragtag group of sadistic, sociopathic outcasts would require someone just as despicable looking after them, and Amanda “The Wall” Waller is undoubtedly one mean lady.

The high-ranking government, portrayed in the Suicide Squad movie by Academy Award-winner Viola Davis, comes up with the idea of a team of some very bad people who could do some good. That said, she has no problem blowing their heads off if any of them fall out of line.

Viola Davis’ portrayal of Amanda Waller is probably the one character that best feels ripped straight from the pages of DC Comics, matching her ruthlessness and cold demeanor to a T. The biggest difference as that she is not the true founder of the Suicide Squad in the comics. The original incarnations of the team from the late '50s inspired her to propose a new Task Force X in the comic’s 1987 revival.

Amanda Waller may be DC’s most interesting anti-hero: a woman working for the law who is not afraid to break some rules to get her way.

Colonel Rick Flag

Rick Flag is a good ‘ol, all-American boy who just wants to serve his country right. That is a harder motivation to follow than it would seem when you’re in love with a powerful witch and employed by… well, essentially, the same thing (Amanda Waller).

Flag’s depiction in the Suicide Squad, as played by Joel Kinnaman, is an interesting case, as his role is both exaggerated and watered down at the same time. For one, there is not just one Flag in the DC comics continuity, but three.

Rick Flag Sr. was a founding member of the original World War II unit Suicide Squad before later joining Task Force X. He was eventually replaced as the leader by his son, Rick Flag, Jr., and later, reluctantly, [accepted to lead](https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/RichardFlag,Jr.(NewEarth) Amanda Waller’s new Squad. His estranged son, Rick Flag III, is not much of a team player, but has been rescued by the Squad on a few occasions.

Oh, and you’re probably wondering about Rick Flag’s romance with June Moone (Enchantress) and how that matches up with the comics. Well, let’s talk about her for a moment.

Enchantress

Archaeologist June Moone (Cara Delevigne) made an unusual mistake for someone in her line of work by breaking off the head of a priceless statue, which released the spirit of a powerful sorceress that is bonded with her. Perhaps if the Suicide Squad movie would have stuck with the Enchantress’ comic book counterpart’s origin, it could have seemed slightly more plausible.

First appearing in a 1966 issue of DC’s Strange Adventures, June Moone was a freelance artist who attended a costume party at an old castle inhabiting a magical being, who empowers Moone with magical abilities to defeat an evil presence in the castle. Starting out as a powerful hero, Enchantress would later turn bad after Supergirl prevented her from gaining universal omnipotence twice.

So at least the Suicide Squad movie got Enchantress’ power-hungry motivations somewhat right, but June Moone’s relationship with Rick Flag was a plot point exclusive to the movie. Care to guess who her love interest in the comics is?

Killer Croc

As Amanda Waller describes in the Suicide Squad movie, evolution took a backwards turn with Waylon Jones (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), a man whose rare genetic condition gives him a reptilian apperance. His animalistic reputation, which includes devouring humans, earned him the nickname Killer Croc in Gotham City.

Killer Croc's role in the movie is quite small compared to the larger than life persona he has led as one of the more dangerous recurring members of Batman’s rogues gallery since his first official appearance in Detective Comics #524 in 1983. When I say large, I mean “hulking.”

His comic book counterpart also has a tragic backstory as an orphan raised by an abusive alcoholic aunt, but has also seen brighter days with June Moone (Enchantress) as his romantic partner. No wonder he is always quiet around Rick Flag in the movie.

I should mention, Killer Croc has not been known to dress like a hooded thug and enjoy watching BET, as the Suicide Squad movie chose to depict him as, but I digress.

El Diablo

If I were to give any character in the Suicide Squad movie the most credit to be called a “hero,” it would the team’s pyrokinetic gangster.

El Diablo, whose real name is Chato Santana and is played by Jay Hernandez, is not really a bad guy, excluding his reputation as Los Angeles’ gang leader. He’s a cursed former family man with a tragic past just trying chill out for once when forced to do Amanda Waller’s dirty work.

The origin of his abilities is also merely hinted at in the movie’s climax when he reveals his demonic form to defeat Enchantress’ brother, Incubus. Otherwise, how he became El Diablo is left somewhat vague, perhaps because there is more than one source to choose from.

The first DC comics character to hold the moniker of El Diablo, introduced in 1970, was 19th-century vigilante of the Old West, Lazarus Lane, who was cursed to unleash the titular demon bonded with him whenever he falls unconscious. The second iteration, a man from modern times named Rafael Sandoval who was introduced in 1989, has no other abilities than his own boxing skills, which he uses to fight street thugs.

Santana actually inherited Lazarus Lane’s curse to become a flamethrowing baddie in his first appearance as El Diablo in 2008. In The New 52, the 2011 reboot of DC’s continuity, Santana became a member of the Suicide Squad’s current iteration.

At least that clears up what that big fiery demon in the climax was all about.

Captain Boomerang

The best bragging rights that Captain Boomerang has in Suicide Squad is being Australian actor Jai Courtney’s most defining role. That's not a huge feat, I know, but that may be how the flying weapon-maker prefers it.

Boomerang (real name George “Digger” Harkness) is a scummy, drunken mess of a human being who seems to take enjoyment in being a nuisance to his fellow members of the Suicide Squad. He does not believe he has any business saving the world and would rather just go ditch the area, if not for the explosive charge in his head.

How close is this to his comic book counterpart? Pretty darn close.

Having first appeared as an adversary to The Flash in 1960 sporting a more gimmicky outfit, Captain Boomerang has also been a prominent member of the Suicide Squad since its second iteration, despite being its least respected. At this point in the continuity, he is the sole permanent member still required to wear his explosive implant, due to Amanda Waller’s complete lack of trust in him.

His reputation for betrayal and generally vile personality makes him one of the most hated characters in the DC comics universe by heroes and villains alike. You know what they say, whatever you throw at the world will just come right back to you.

Katana

Thanks to Rick Flag’s brief impromptu exposition in Suicide Squad, we know that Katana (Karen Fukuhara) can cut people in half with one stroke of her sword, which traps the souls of its victims. That's cool, so what else is there to know about her that the movie left out?

Her real name is Tatsu Yamashiro, a Japanese woman skilled in martial arts, who first appeared in DC comics in 1983. She witnessed her husband’s murder by the Yakuza with the very sword she would soon claim as her own, which she would use to fight crime in America under her new alias, Katana.

She has been affiliated with several superhero teams, including DC’s Outsiders (a team founded by Batman), Birds of Prey with Black Canary and Starling, and she was a co-captain to Rick Flag of the Suicide Squad.

Katana’s contribution to the DC universe in just 36 years deeply impressive. Perhaps I owe Rick Flag an apology. How could he have explained all of that in just 30 seconds?

Slipknot

You probably just remember Slipknot (if you can remember him at all), played by Adam Beach, as Rick Flag’s test dummy for the explosive charges placed in the Suicide Squad’s heads. His mindblowing exit early into the film’s story comes after Captain Boomerang recommends he attempt an escape.

His contribution to the Suicide Squad movie is actually not far off from the comics.

First introduced to DC Comics as an antagonist to superhero Firestorm, Slipknot (real name Christopher Weiss) was appointed to join the Suicide Squad in 1987, when they were only wearing explosive devices on their arms. After a conversation with Captain Boomerang convinces Slipknot that the bombs are fake, he makes a run for it and loses his arm in the process. How tragic.

After learning these facts about DC's most iconic anti-heroes, I am curious how much deeper into their mythology James Gunn will go in The Suicide Squad. We'll find out when the sequel/reboot/whatever you want to call it is released on August 5, 2021.