Will "Suicide Squad" survive?
I don't mean at the box office, where the DC Comics' supervillain team-up film will likely do very well when it premieres Aug. 5. I'm just wondering how many of the cast members will live to see a potential sequel.
Alarms are raised by Warner Bros.' own description:
"Assemble a team of the world's most dangerous, incarcerated supervillains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government's disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren't picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it's every man for himself?"
That's pretty much what Suicide Squad has been in the comics, too _ and quite a number of supervillains have been offed in the pages of those comics. Death is part of the concept, so let's take a look at who we know is in the movie, and what we know about them, to evaluate their longevity:
_AMANDA WALLER (Viola Davis): Introduced in 1986, Amanda Waller has always been portrayed as a duplicitous, ruthless, unlikable, high-ranking agent of DC's various fictional government espionage agencies, all across DC's superhero line. She was originally a heavy-set woman, nicknamed "The Wall" behind her back. But beginning with her appearance on TV's "Arrow," where she was portrayed by the slim Cynthia Addai-Robinson, her character-defining weight has been lost. She has been in charge of every iteration of the modern Suicide Squad, on comics and TV.
Likely Death: Zero Skulls (out of four). Every single supervillain has desperately wanted to kill Waller forever, but she's always one step ahead. If she has a super-power, that's it.
_RICK FLAG (Joel Kinnaman): The name Rick Flag goes back to the original 1959 incarnation of Task Force X-slash-Suicide Squad in "Brave and Bold" comics, when he was the field leader of a black ops team that had nothing to do with costumed characters. But that incarnation didn't sell, and when the concept was revived years later, Rick Flag's son _ also called Rick Flag _ became the no-nonsense field leader of a bunch of supervillains with bombs implanted in their heads to assure cooperation.
Likely Death: Two Skulls. A character named Rick Flag is just about the only constant in every iteration of Suicide Squad. But he's really boring, so I hope he doesn't make it.
_HARLEY QUINN (Margot Robbie): Originating on "Batman: The Animated Series" in 1992, psychiatrist Harleen Quinzel fell in love with her patient at Arkham Asylum, The Joker, and joined him in a life of absurdist (and lethal) crime as his sidekick, Harley Quinn. In subsequent comic book adventures, she was saved from death by occasional accomplice/girlfriend Poison Ivy, whose plant-based cure gave the Maid in Motley extra strength and stamina, and resistance to poisons and injury. Her white skin was once attributed to bleaching, but in recent years has been linked to The Joker pushing her into a vat of acid. (Take your pick.)
Likely death: Zero Skulls. Both Harley and Margot are far too popular to be axed. Even if "Suicide Squad" tanks, Harley Quinn will return in some form.
_DEADSHOT (Will Smith): Floyd Lawton first appeared in "Batman" in 1950, a professional assassin who never missed. He has been modernized over the years, and now wears an armored suit with wrist-mounted guns, whose death wish makes him an unpredictable opponent. He has a daughter, Zoe, whom he loves but avoids because his life is so violent.
Likely death: One skull. Will Smith is a pretty popular actor. And Deadshot has proved enduring, his strange disinterest in living a kind of catnip to comics writers, who have written him into various iterations of "Suicide Squad," "Secret Six" (another supervillain team), various Bat-books and his own miniseries. Due to Zoe's presence in the movie (played by Shailyn Pierre-Dixon) his death might be poignant, so he gets a skull.
_CAPTAIN BOOMERANG (Jai Courtney): George "Digger" Harkness was a small-time crook in Australia with an uncanny knack for using boomerangs who was hired in "Flash" #117 (1960) to be a spokesman for a Central City toy company that manufactured the weapon. He somehow learned to gimmick up his boomerangs for various purposes (like exploding), but was really no match for the Scarlet Speedster, despite appearing umpty-ump times. He has been a popular member of the Suicide Squad in most of its incarnations.
Likely Death: One Skull. If the movie version is as amoral, foul-mouthed and just plain fun as his comics counterpart, he'll be too popular to kill.
_KILLER CROC (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje): First appearing in "Batman" comics in 1983, Waylon Jones has a rare skin condition that gives his skin a reptilian appearance, and possibly enhanced strength. Or maybe he just developed the latter wrestling alligators in Florida for a living. In some incarnations he's depicted as having a taste for human flesh.
Likely Death: Two Skulls. He's way too visually interesting to cast aside. Then again, strong guys are a dime a dozen. Probably depends on how much his F/X costs.
_ENCHANTRESS (Cara Delevingne) first appeared in "Strange Adventures" (1966) as a heroic alter ego for freelance artist June Moone (yes, seriously). After that, though, she was usually portrayed as evil, despite her presence on a couple of superhero teams (Shadowpact, Justice League Dark). She is a powerful sorceress, who can animate objects, walk through walls and other spooky stuff.
Likely death: Two Skulls. Enchantress isn't a particularly well-known character, nor are her powers or personality especially unique. Story-wise, she's expendable. On the other hand, she's being played in the movie by a young (23), attractive model/actress, and could be a box-office draw for years to come.
_KATANA (Karen Fukuhara): First appearing in 1983, Tatsu Yamashiro was a world-class martial artist and swordswoman, wielding a mystical katana that contained all the souls of those it had killed, including her husband Maseo. She fought alongside Batman and the Outsiders for many years, but after a 2011 reboot, most people don't believe the weapon contains any souls, and that Tatsu is simply a nut who talks to her sword.
Likely Death: Two Skulls. Interesting character, yes, but sword-fights aren't really all that compelling.
_El Diablo (Jay Hernandez): There have been three El Diablos in DC history, and Chato Santana is the third (and least interesting). He's a pyrokinetic _ a fire-starter _ and former gang-banger.
Likely Death: I give this walking cliche at least Three Skulls.
_The Joker (Jared Leto): I need to describe this character, do I?
Chance of (permanent) death: Zero Skulls
Those are all the major characters, but the announced cast includes three more villains, whom I assume are cannon fodder. So hello to Monster T (Common), Slipknot (Chrisopter Weiss) and King Shark (Raymond Alubawale) _ and goodbye.
As to actors Scott Eastwood, David Harbour and Adam Beach _ announced as cast members, but whose characters are unrevealed _ they could be heroes or villains, long-term players or cameo deaths. Like all the cast members of "Suicide Squad," though, they probably shouldn't start reading any continuing stories.
