It’s been a tough go landing a Rick Flag, Jr. for David Ayer’s SUICIDE SQUAD. First it was supposed to be Tom Hardy, but he dropped out. They offered the role to Jake Gyllenhaal, but he passed. We heard that they were looking at Jon Bernthal and Joel Edgerton, but nothing’s come of that. Now, The Wrap is confirming Latino Review’s scoop that ROBOCOP/CHILD 44 actor Joel Kinnaman is in talks to take up the role.
Apparently, Jason Clarke was also a frontrunner for the role, but it seems to be Kinnaman’s if everything works out.
I’m still curious if the reason it’s been so hard to lock down an actor for the role are those story rumors that have circulated the ‘net, but Jeff Sneider insists that Hardy’s initial departure was over a scheduling conflict, so who knows.
What I do know is that Kinnaman is decidedly on the Jai Courtney side of the movie star spectrum, meaning he’s been in big movies but most folks don’t particularly know him or care about him. If he’s the best they can do in terms of star-power, then I hope he can bring his A-game to this big-name project. I wasn’t a fan of New Jack ROBOCOP by any means, but it did require a good deal of behind-the-helmet emoting from Kinnaman, and I’m sure he can do the straight tough-guy thing fairly well.
But, in the end, there’s no way going from Tom Hardy and Jake Gyllenhaal to this guy isn’t going to feel like a downgrade.
This role, as well as those of Amanda Waller and the General role Gary Sinise was up for (possibly Rick Flag, Sr.?) have yet to be locked down, so keep your ears open, as this flick’s gotta get together for shooting in only a couple months.
SUICIDE SQUAD gives movie stars and up-and-comers alike a chance to shine on August 5th, 2016.
