It seems that the sequel to "Suicide Squad" is coming faster than fans would expect. Warner Bros. has reportedly fast-tracked the second installment and is now on the hunt for a director to helm the project.
"Suicide Squad" was the third movie in the DC Extended Universe film slate that premiered in 2016 and received incredibly mixed reviews. This was despite being a commercial success and Margot Robbie's portrayal of Harley Quinn becoming a favorite. The film also won an Academy Award for best makeup and hairstyling.
It is safe to say that "Suicide Squad 2" has gotten off to a rough start in terms of finding a director to take charge. Jaume Collet-Serra of "The Shadows" was first reported to be in the director's chair, but eventually passed to take on a new project called "Jungle Cruise."
Prior to Collet-Serra, Mel Gibson was in talks to helm the sequel, but it was an eventual pass as well. David Ayer has signed on to direct the "Gotham City Sirens" movie instead, which makes him unavailable to take the project. Guy Ritchie has also expressed interest in taking on the project, but there is no confirmation from him yet.
As of now, Warner Bros. is pushing for the film to start production in the middle of 2018 for a 2019 release date. The surviving characters from the first film are expected to reprise their roles. Robbie's Harley Quinn and Jared Leto's Joker are also set to get their own movie and a standalone Joker origin movie is also in the works. It is safe to say that the Joker's presence will be more frequent in the coming films.
While the script is currently being written, fans can look forward to the upcoming premiere of "Justice League" in November and "Aquaman" next year.
