Two new screenwriters have signed on to write the sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad.
David Bar Katz and Todd Stashwick will be writing the script for the DC supervillain team’s next cinematic adventure along with director and co-writer Gavin O’Connor. Katz is currently doing a rewrite on the upcoming Spawn reboot while Stashwick, who has a prolific acting career, was a series regular on the recently cancelled Syfy series 12 Monkeys.
Along with O’Connor (The Accountant), the screenwriting trio replace David Ayer who wrote and directed the DCEU film’s predecessor. While the 2016 film earned $746 million at the global box office, critical response to the movie was largely negative and Ayer was rumored to have a difficult relationship with studio execs during post-production.
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The follow-up to Suicide Squad was reportedly scheduled to begin filming this year but has been delayed in favor of Warner Bros. ramping up production on a Birds of Prey ensemble film instead. The planned Gotham City superhero team movie will feature the return of Margot Robbie reprising the role of Suicide Squad character Harley Quinn. Additionally, a spin-off film featuring Jared Leto’s Joker has been reportedly greenlit by Warner Bros.
The modern incarnation of the Suicide Squad was created by writer John Ostrander and artist John Byrne first appearing in the third issue of 1987’s DC crossover event Legends. Since then, the team has received their own ongoing series with various villains from the DC Universe drafted by the government to save the world.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)