10 Movie Remakes That Ditch Classic Elements
2. No More Mr J - The Suicide Squad (2021)
This definitely is the quickest reboot(ish) of a franchise on this list. Even Andrew Garfield’s The Amazing Spider-Man got a bit of a grace period before Tom Holland took Peter Parker into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But, considering how Suicide Squad (2016) was kind of a mess of a film, who can blame the DCEU for trying to amend things?
The Suicide Squad is due for release next year, but the history of this follow-up film has been tumultuous to say the least. Rumours bounced around that it was going to be a direct sequel, then a total reboot (but with the same actors), until it was settled that it would be a standalone sequel. It’s the same DCEU, same characters played by the same actors, but chances are they will be leaving the first instalment in the dust.
That process has already begun with this year’s Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) which is cutting ties with Margot Robbie’s initial depiction of Harley Quinn to reinvent her character as one not reliant on the Joker. Speaking of the devil, it looks like The Suicide Squad, while not recasting anyone (yet), will be allowing Jared Leto’s interesting rendition of one of Gotham’s worst villains to go without reprise.
Meanwhile, we won’t be getting Will Smith’s Deadshot again any time soon either. Idris Elba was all set to go for a recast, but ex-Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn, now at the helm of The Suicide Squad, has given Elba something else to do in the film, which at least left Smith open for a comeback. With a 2021 release date, there’s still a lot left unknown about this film. All we do know is that a lot of people seem desperate to right the wrongs of 2016, and I commend them for that.