It seems by now that we know everything there is to know about the topsy-turvy production of “Suicide Squad.” The shoot, reshoot, rollout and subsequent box office has been scrutinized to death, but apparently there are still a few more stories about the troubled blockbuster to tell. The latest one comes from an unlikely source: none other than Shia LaBeouf.
In an extensive, fascinating profile in Variety, the actor reveals that his “Fury” director David Ayer wanted to reteam with him for “Suicide Squad,” but that Warner Bros. didn’t want to have to worry about dealing with the unpredictable actor.
READ MORE: The Best & Mostly Worst Of ‘Suicide Squad’
“The character was different initially,” LaBeouf explained about the role of GQ Edwards which he was courted for. “Then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit. That character and Tom [Hardy’s] character [later played by Joel Kinnaman] got written down to build Will up.”
“I don’t think Warner Bros. wanted me. I went in to meet, and they were like, ‘Nah, you’re crazy. You’re a good actor, but not this one.’ It was a big investment for them,” he added.
In perhaps the biggest irony, Scott Eastwood wound up with role that was initially pegged for LaBeouf (in the end, the actor didn’t miss all that much given how small that part is). But if you’ll recall, LaBeouf and Brad Pitt nearly came to blows with Eastwood on the set on “Fury.”
LaBeouf will next be seen in Andrea Arnold‘s “American Honey” this fall, and frankly, that’s the kind of work I’d rather see the actor doing, rather than blockbusters. He pretty much feels the same way, but saves some praise (and advice) for his “Transformers” director Michael Bay.
“Mike is an artist,” he said. “People don’t realize how dope that dude is. He’s got to get a little ballsier with his moves —he’s trying to toe the line and be James Cameron, but [the likes of] James Camerons are dying [out]. I don’t know what he’s chasing, but that version of director is dead. If Mike is to sustain, he’s got to get fucking weird.”
A fucking weird Michael Bay movie, starring Shia LaBeouf? I’d be into that.