There has been some confusion surrounding how the events ofThe Suicide Squadcan be part of both the DCEU and the rebootedDCU, but the shocking first sequence helps to explain how this is possible.James Gunn’s DCU is now in full swingwithCreature Commandosleading the charge andSupermansoon to follow. For the most part, the DCU is a reboot of DC’s shared cinematic universe, doing away with the vast majority of events that occurred in the erstwhile franchise and breathing new life into DC’s cinematic ventures.
Nevertheless,Creature Commandoswasted no time muddying the watersby referencing the events ofThe Suicide Squad. James Gunn has recently clarified that the line between the franchise is not exactly definitive and that certainevents of the DCEU will be made canonas and when they are referenced in the DCU.The Suicide Squadis one such movie where this line has been blurred, with some confusion already arising now that certain characters have reprised their roles and certain events have been mentioned. Still,The Suicide Squad’s opening sequence might actually help to make heads and tails of the set-up.
Those Who Died Will Probably Not Be Missed In The DCU
There are big parallels to be drawn betweenThe Suicide SquadandCreature Commandos. Both star a ragtag team of villainous characters coerced into doing Amanda Waller’s bidding, and there are some - like Weasel - who have even been a part of both teams.
Survived (escaped)
Survived (captured)
Weasel
Notably, however, Weasel was seen to have survived the opening massacre inThe Suicide Squad, wherethe initial assault on Corto Maltese led to the orchestrated deaths of the first landing partyso that another strike team comprising the majority of the movie’s titular task force could take advantage of the distraction.Killing off so many ofThe Suicide Squad’s charactersmakes it a lot easier for the DCU to navigate integrating the movie into canon, simply by refusing to integrate these characters.
The Corto Maltese massacre almost serves as a narrative reset, leaving just a handful of other characters like Weasel and Harley Quinn for the DCU to navigate when implementing James Gunn’s canonicity policy. Furthermore, it’s hard to ignore how disposable these characters are by design - and it isn’t as if the DCU is going to miss many.
But Captain Boomering Might Present An Issue
Ultimately the condemned first party comprised some of DC’s most obscure characters.The loss of such minor players as The Detachable Kid is unlikely to impact the DCU should the entirety ofThe Suicide Squadbe considered canon, meaning references to the movie within the DCU can come easily. Even Polka-Dot Man, who was crushed by Starro inThe Suicide Squad’s final act, is obscure enough that it’s unlikely that Gunn will wish to re-use him ina future DCU installment.
Where Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn Could Appear In James Gunn’s DC Universe
Margot Robbie could be set for renewed Harley Quinn appearances in James Gunn’s DCU, but which projects would the character best fit into?
That is not to say that makingThe Suicide Squadcanon is not without complications, however. For instance, whether Margot Robbie and Idris Elba will return as Harley Quinn and Bloodsport, respectively, remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Captain Boomerang’s death would prevent him from fulfilling his role as a villain to the Flash in the DCU. Nevertheless, as James Gunn’s comments stipulate, the DCU may just re-cast the former and retcon the latter - but at least the initial massacre makes these discrepancies less frequent than they might have been otherwise.
The Suicide Squad
Cast
The Suicide Squad: Released in 2021, The Suicide Squad features supervillains Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, and Peacemaker, among others, as they join Task Force X. The team embarks on a mission on the enemy-held island of Corto Maltese under the direction of Amanda Waller in this entry of the DC Extended Universe.
