James Gunn In Talks To Write/Direct 'Suicide Squad 2'

It might be happening. After months of speculation, it looks like we know where James Gunn will land next. And boy, oh boy, this is not what Marvel Studios was hoping for.

According to The Wrap, Gunn is in talks to write, and potentially direct, the upcoming “Suicide Squad 2.” Yes, this bears repeating. James Gunn, the man who put “Guardians of the Galaxy” on the map and created a billion-dollar franchise, is slated to tackle Warner Bros/DC’s gang of misfits to replicate a bit of success…and get a little revenge.

The report doesn’t know any details about the characters involved or the storyline, but it sounds like Gunn has a “new take” on the lovable villains that scored big at the box office in 2016. One would assume that Margot Robbie and Will Smith are locks to be in the cast. But with Gunn’s penchant for deep-cut comic book characters, and the fact that “Suicide Squad” was filled with characters that could easily be replaced, it’s safe to expect that some new faces will grace the anti-hero squad.

And as crazy and unexpected as the news is, you can’t help but slap your forehead and say, “Of course!” On paper, the “Suicide Squad” film and “Guardians of the Galaxy” are very similar. It was all about how the execution completely failed the first example but turned the second example into a household name. Who better to resurrect the failing Squad of C-list villains than the man who made a talking tree and racoon some of the biggest film characters in the world?

There is one casualty to this news — Gavin O’Connor. The director, who was said to be working on the script as well, seems to be pushed aside in favor of Gunn. Again, this makes complete sense. O’Connor is a fine filmmaker, with “Warrior” standing out, but there’s no way that WB/DC could pass up the chance to work with Gunn.

No release date has been set for “Suicide Squad 2” but you better believe that if the Gunn thing works out, WB will fast-track this to theaters as quickly as possible.