No Will Smith in Suicide Squad 2 no problem, Idris Elba in talks to replace

Suicide Squad 2 suffered a major loss last week when Will Smith passed on returning for the sequel to the 2016 DCEU flick, but don't feel too bad for the sequel, it already has its eye on his replacement: Idris Elba.

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Elba has entered talks to replace Smith in the sequel being directed by Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn. According to the report, sources say that Elba already met with Gunn to discuss the role last Friday. Talks went so good, he subsequently began to negotiate with the studio.

Per the report, Elba is Gunn's first and only choice to play Deadshot for Suicide Squad 2, which will officially be titled The Suicide Squad. By the sounds of it, it doesn't look like Gunn will ever have to consider the alternative.

Suicide Squad 2 will be a big departure from David Ayer's original film, as Gunn plans on mostly using characters that weren't in the first movie aside from Deadshot and Harley Quinn, who was played by Margot Robbie. That should give Gunn a clean slate to put his own stamp on the movie. He is, after all, very good at making successful superhero movies.

The Suicide Squad is slated to arrive in theaters August 6, 2021.