Most of The Suicide Squad’s cast members kept their characters shrouded in secrecy until last summer’s DC FanDome event. However, Idris Elba kept fans in suspense the longest. When he first joined the film in 2019, early reports claimed that Elba was replacing original Suicide Squad star Will Smith as the new Deadshot. Instead, he ended up filling the role of Bloodsport. But according to Elba, the misdirection was very intentional.
While speaking with ComicBook.com, Elba revealed that he and the filmmakers weren’t sure which character he was going to play when he first signed on. Regardless, they took extra steps to throw fans and reporters off the trail, going so far as to call him “Vigilante” when hosting a set visit while the movie was still in production.
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“It wasn’t more of a deception,” said Elba. “We just needed to give it a name because we didn’t know what character from the DC Universe we were going to use. So, Vigilante just felt like a good red herring for anyone that was being nosy. And, ultimately, we really wanted to get the character right and figure out who makes sense to be in this version of the Suicide Squad. So, listen, I’m glad that people were surprised because the Deadshot character is an incredible character and should come back.”
Smith ultimately backed out of returning as Floyd Lawton/Deadshot due to a scheduling conflict. However, it sounds like the door is open for him to return in a future installment. In the meantime, the real Vigilante will soon appear in HBO Max’s Peacemaker series, as played by Freddie Stroma.
The Suicide Squad hits theaters and HBO Max on August 6.
Are you happy that Elba was chosen to play Bloodsport instead of a different character? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Suicide Squad Vol. 1: Trial by Fire
