5 Ways Suicide Squad Has Changed Since It Was Announced
2. It's Now The Start Of Something Bigger
When the DC Extended Universe slate was first announced, Suicide Squad was the black sheep, something a bit different in amongst the more standard Justice League building. This meant there was little fan pressure on the film, letting it exist almost by itself. Then its big brother went off the rails.
Putting personal opinions aside, Batman V Superman did not live up to expectations; its reviews were shocking and the box office take well below the $1 billion-plus prediction. Those are basic facts and the repercussions of it can be rather plainly seen in the way Justice League and the wider DCEU is shifting creative voice.
The film that's going to feel this fallout most, though, is Suicide Squad. Suddenly it has the weight of a universe on its shoulders. Passing Dawn Of Justice's $870 million worldwide haul is a distinct possibility and there's a general expectation of "saving the universe", a big task for a film that, as conceived, was intended to be the outsider.
Add to that how it's got a whole host of follow-ups mooted - there's already plans for a sequel and a spin-off for Harley Quinn, with standalones for characters as eclectic as Joker and Boomerang proposed - and it looks like Suicide Squad will be decried a let-down if it's not a mega-hit.