Warner Bros. confirmed they are moving forward with a sequel to Suicide Squad with news that Mel Gibson is being courted as the sequel’s director.
Per THR, Warner Bros. is not only considering Gibson to direct Suicide Squad 2 but other directors as well, including Daniel Espinosa (Life).
Suicide Squad 2 is in the early stages of development and no details about the plot or cast are known at this time. Presumably the surviving Suicide Squad members from the original including Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Jared Leto, Jai Courtney, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Cara Delevingne, Joel Kinnaman, Karen Fukuhara and Adam Beach would all return.
David Ayer directed the original Suicide Squad which has gone on to earn $745 million at the worldwide box office despite mixed reviews and reported creative trouble during production. Ayer is attached to direct a female-centric DC Films feature with Robbie as Harley Quinn leaving the door open for a new director to take on Suicide Squad 2.
Gibson’s draw rose exponentially once Hacksaw Ridge earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. He’ll likely has his pick of projects and is reportedly familiarizing himself with the Suicide Squad DC Films universe in case he gets an official offer from Warner Bros.
It’s unlikely Suicide Squad 2 would be released before fall 2018 at the earliest.