'The Suicide Squad': Warner Bros. Told James Gunn To "Do Whatever The F-K You Want," Says Jai Courtney
When director James Gunn was fired from Marvel for some old tweets in 2018, things were looking grim. Thankfully, Warner Bros. snatched him up before he'd even really fallen, handing him the reins on The Suicide Squad. Gunn previously directed ensemble perfection in Guardians of the Galaxy, so WB clearly had hopes he could do the same for their group of rag-tag antiheroes. But with more blood and violence.
While Marvel's family-friendly ethos meant certain things were off limits, the DCEU offers more variety. Gunn, who got his start with the shock-cinema titans at Troma, could finally really let his freak flag fly with The Suicide Squad. In a recent interview with Variety, The Suicide Squad star Jai Courtney spilled the beans on just how much DC let the director get away with. At the premiere of his new movie Jolt with Kate Beckinsale, Courtney took a moment to talk about just how much freedom Gunn was given.
"It's crazy, dude. It's so bizarre. James Gunn is an evil genius in a way and the movie is really something that is representative of what he is capable of. He really pushed the boundaries. He was basically given the keys and told, 'Do whatever the f*** you want,' and he did."
Giving Gunn full control was the right way to go, if early buzz is any indicator.
"It's definitely very violent but it's also really silly and funny and has immense core and heart to it," Courtney said. He will reprise the role of Captain Boomerang, who was vaporized in David Ayer's first Suicide Squad. (Gunn's film is not a sequel to Ayer's 2016 flop.)
Pushing Boundaries
I first became a fan of Gunn's with his feature film debut, Slither. Slither is a dark gross-out comedy-romance about a town besieged by alien slugs that turn people into zombies. It's as funny as it is scary and has a warm gooey center that's more sweet than nasty. His next feature, Super, stars The Office's Rainn Wilson as a down-on-his-luck loser who decides to become a superhero. He's joined by Elliot Page, who wants to be his trusty sidekick. Super is a perfect antihero story, celebrating its bargain-bin crimefighters while also pointing out the dangers of vigilante justice.
If Gunn can bring the energy of his first two films to the DCEU, The Suicide Squad could be something really special. I can't wait to see Gunn get back to his heartfelt horror roots, especially with this kind of cast and budget.
The Suicide Squad hits theaters and HBO Max on August 6, 2021.