Joel Kinnaman To Replace Tom Hardy In ‘Suicide Squad’
Suicide Squadcurrently has aTom Hardy-shaped hole, and over the past few weeks it seems every 30something actor not currently attached to a superhero franchise has tried to fill it. (Or at least been rumored to be trying to fill it.)
Now, at long last, it seems directorDavid Ayerhas finally found the right fit inJoel Kinnaman. More on theSuicide SquadJoel Kinnaman casting after the jump.
TheWrapreports Kinnaman is set to take over the role of Rick Flagg in the Warner Bros. picture. Hardy dropped out in January due to scheduling conflicts with Alejandro González Iñárritu’sThe Revenantand theMad Max: Fury Roadpress tour.
Following Hardy’s departure, Ayer eyed hisEnd of WatchstarJake Gyllenhaalas a potential replacementfor Hardy. After Gyllenhaal passed,Karl Urban,Joel Edgerton, andJon Bernthalwere rumored as potential candidates to play Rick Flagg.
Kinnaman joins a star-studded cast that also includesWill Smithas Deadshot,Margot Robbieas Harley Quinn,Jai Courtneyas Boomerang,Cara Delevingneas Enchantress, andJared Letoas the Joker.
In addition,Jesse Eisenbergis in talks to reprise hisBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justicerole as Lex Luthor, andViola Davisis circling the role of Amanda Waller.Ben Affleckis also rumored to make an appearance as Batman.
Based on the DC Comics team of the same name,Suicide Squadcenters on a group of supervillains who strike a deal: In exchange for commuted sentences, they’ll carry out black-ops missions for the government. Or as Ayer put it,“it’sDirty Dozenwith supervillains.”
Kinnaman is a Swedish actor best known in the U.S. for playing Stephen Holder in AMC’sThe Killingand Alex Murphy in theRobocopremake. He’ll be seen later this year in Daniel Espinosa’sChild 44, which happens to star Hardy, and the Liam Neeson thrillerRun All Night.
While Kinnaman doesn’t have Hardy’s star power, he seems like a very reasonable substitute otherwise. He’s an enjoyable presence even in otherwise iffy projects (ahem,Robocop), and ifSuicide Squadcan kick his career up to the next level, all the better.
Production onSuicide Squadis expected to get underway this April. Warner Bros. already has the picture dated for anAugust 5, 2016release.
