Will Smith backs out of James Gunn's Suicide Squad sequel

One of Suicide Squad's biggest stars will reportedly skip the next film in the franchise.

According to Variety, Will Smith, who played Deadshot in the first film, has backed out of the next Suicide Squad, which is being directed by James Gunn. It was recently reported that the movie would begin filming later this year.

Smith's departure from the project was allegedly amicable and came down to scheduling conflicts rather than any disputes over the direction of the film.

The odd thing about Variety's story, however, is that Smith was never confirmed to appear in the next installment, although he was a major part of the first movie.

With Gunn being brought onboard, it's possible the director had a different vision for where the franchise should go, which may not have included Deadshot. A recent report claimed that Gunn wants to focus on new characters, rather than the ones we saw in David Ayer's Suicide Squad.

Even without Smith, there's still the possibility of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn appearing in the movie.

The Suicide Squad, as Gunn's movie is being called, is expected to hit theaters on August 6, 2021.