Committing Franchise Suicide, Warner Bros Wants Mel Gibson To Direct Suicide Squad Sequel

The dust never seems to clear around the desperation that is the Warner Bros. / DC film machine. Rumblings around tinsel-town are that Warner Bros. is in talks with Mel Gibson to direct the sequel to Suicide Squad, the critically panned but somewhat enjoyed by DC fans answer to Marvel’s team-outings. The courting between studio and the actor turned director, though talks are still in the early phases.

It sounds like the studio has been dating around a bit, also having had talks with Zombieland’s Ruben Fleischer, Safe House’s Daniel Espinosa, and Warm Bodies‘ Jonathan Levine, but the leading name is still Gibson. That could be because of his being their first round draft pick, or because it’s just so out there. We’d still love to see them pick up the phone and go for the individual who gave Mad Max his start, George Miller. However Miller works best with time to do it right, a budget, and nominal studio interference – all things that Warner Bros. wouldn’t do if their lives depended on it.

Gibson has proven himself capable as a dramatic director, with his recent multi-award nominated Hacksaw Ridge, but there’s little sign to indicate that his style would align with either the material or the way the studio has come to micromanage and second-guess everything on their superhero slate. Most of Gibson’s prior directorial outings have all involved his long term passion projects, so him jumping into something outside of his wheelhouse is a bit of a stretch.

The first Suicide Squad film was directed by David Ayer, starring Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. While the film was largely panned by reviews, and Leto often winning top 10 lists as the worst portrayal of the Joker ever, it made over $700 million at the box office, which was enough to ensure that they would declare that they were popular enough to warrant another one as fast as they can kick it out the door.

Ayer is now developing a project that reunites him with Robbie and focuses on the female villains of the DC Universe.