5 Ways Suicide Squad Has Changed Since It Was Announced

5. Rick Flagg Was Recast

It wasn't long after David Ayer was brought onto the project that the first casting announcement was made, something that really boosted the stock of the film. There was Jared Leto as Joker, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn (both heavily rumoured before), Will Smith as Deadshot, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, Jai Courtney as Boomerang and, most intriguing of all, Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg. Hardy's a scorching hot ticket at the moment, with a general gravitas and astute film choice making him one of the most in-demand actors around, so getting him in a lead role seemed to be Warner saying "we got this".

Alas, because shooting on The Revenant overran (you may have heard that movie had a bit of a troubled production), Hardy was forced to drop out (he did state the script was "alley" though). Jake Gyllenhaal was reportedly offered the role (he's worked with Ayer previously on End Of Watch), but turned it down, leaving it open for Joel Kinnaman.

If you're still worried about the star of the already forgotten RoboCop reboot was taking a lead role, you shouldn't be; Kinnaman really showed his talents as charismatic manipular Conway in House Of Cards, where he managed to successfully go toe-to-toe with Kevin Spacey. Not a bad consolation casting at all.