“Suicide Squad”: 60 mind – blowing facts about the movie!

1. Suicide Squad is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics antihero team of the same name.

2. It is intended to be the third installment in the DC Extended Universe.

3. The film is written and directed by David Ayer and stars an ensemble cast featuring Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, and Scott Eastwood.

4. By February 2009, a Suicide Squad film was in development at Warner Bros. Pictures.

5. Ayer signed on to write and direct in September 2014 and by October the casting process had begun.

6. Principal photography began on April 13, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with additional filming in Chicago, Illinois, and ended in August that year.

7. The film is scheduled to be released on August 5, 2016 in 2D, 3D, and IMAX 3D.

8. The plot: A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency.

9. Jared Leto got so immersed in playing The Joker and he wouldn’t break out of character on set even when he wasn’t filming. He even sent his fellow cast members “Joker-like” presents: a rat to Margot Robbie and bullets to Will Smith and a dead hog for the whole crew. Scott Eastwood, Leto’s best friend, commented that Leto frightened him at times with his behavior.

10. The Joker’s car, the Jokermobile, is a customized Infiniti G35 Vaydor.

11. This movie will be released on the 50th anniversary of the Joker’s live-action debut (Cesar Romero in both Batman (1966) and Batman: The Movie (1966)).

12. Harley Quinn wields an umbrella that is red and black, her original color scheme from Batman: The Animated Series (1992). She also wields a baseball bat, her trademark weapon from the “Batman: Arkham” video games.

13. It has been suggested that because of the dark and tormenting nature of the film, an on-set therapist was hired to keep the cast grounded.

14. Tom Hardy was originally cast as Rick Flag but dropped out to do The Revenant (2015). Hardy had previously played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), who was a former member of the Suicide Squad in the comic books. Hardy later expressed his regret at leaving the role, given he didn’t want to lose the work.

15. To prepare for his role as Deadshot, Will Smith shaved his head and spent time training with Navy SEALS and Army Rangers, practicing firing a Glock 9mm handgun and an AR-15 rifle. The actor turned out to be a quick learner, particularly with long distance shots using the AR-15.

16. This is the third live-action version of the Suicide Squad. It had previously appeared in Smallville (2001) and Arrow (2012).

17. The majority of the cast got the tattoo “SKWAD” in honor of the film. The tattoos were even applied by some of the cast members (Margot Robbie & Will Smith).

18. David Ayer revealed Jared Leto’s first official look as The Joker in April 24, 2015, the character’s 75th anniversary.

19. Ryan Gosling was sought out first for the role of The Joker. He reportedly turned down the role because he didn’t want to sign on for a multi-picture deal that the studio was requiring.

20. Emma Roberts was offered the role of Harley Quinn, but turned it down to star in Scream Queens (2015). Olivia Thirlby, Imogen Poots, Alison Brie, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Emma Watson, Emily Browning, Zooey Deschanel, Lily Collins, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Sara Paxton, Amanda Seyfried and Evan Rachel Wood were all considered for the role of Harley Quinn.

21. Jared Leto took inspiration from the Batman comic “Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth”, which portrayed the Joker as a transcendent, unsettling and seductive person. He also cites gospel music, shamans and Mexican cartels as an influence on the character.

22. Jared Leto is the third Oscar-winning actor to portray the Joker, after Jack Nicholson and Heath Ledger (who won a posthumous Oscar for his portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight (2008)).

23. This will be the third installment in the DC Extended Universe, following Man of Steel (2013) and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).

24. In an interview with Empire Magazine, Zack Snyder stated that each member of the Suicide Squad has a vendetta against Batman as he is the one responsible for them all being behind bars at the start of the film.

25. The first comic-based film to feature a team of supervillains where they’re the main cast of characters in a comic book film.

26. Ben Affleck is the first actor to portray Batman in two movies helmed by different directors. He is also the first actor to portray Batman in two different movies within the same year.

27. Margot Robbie celebrated her 25th birthday on the set in her Harley Quinn costume with her own birthday cake which she posted on her Instagram account.

28. Jared Leto visited New York Comic Con 2015 in disguise and took a picture with an unsuspecting fan cosplaying the Joker.

29. Jai Courtney is reported as saying “I’ll never be in a comic-book movie.” He changed his mind after finding out David Ayer was to direct/produce.

30. Cara Delevingne auditioned for the role of Enchantress by reading for Martha from Edward Albee’s play “Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?” She was asked to read the part in several different ways, in order to reflect June Moore’s split personality. By the end of the audition she was ready to beat people up: “David Ayer sparked a fury in me, you got to come get me out of jail because I was so furious!”

31. Lex Luthor, according to some rumors, could be a big part of the plot.

32. Oprah Winfrey, Viola Davis, Kerry Washington and Octavia Spencer were all front runners for the role of Amanda Waller before Davis was cast.

33. The mercenary Deathstroke briefly had an appearance in the film, and Joe Manganiello was considered for the role.

34. Part of the film is set in Midway City. In the DC Comics, this was the home of the superhero couple Hawkman and Hawkgirl.

35. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Matthew McConaughey, Johnny Depp, Colin Farrell, Keanu Reeves, Oscar Isaac, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Matt Damon, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Alexander Skarsgård, Ewan McGregor, Robert Pattinson, Michael Fassbender, Joel Kinnaman and Jon Hamm were considered for the role of Deadshot.

36. The Enchantress is portrayed in both DC and Marvel Comics as a lady who wields magic and is clothed in green. The Enchantress in this film has been redesigned, primarily styled by Dark Galadriel from the Middle-Earth films, in order to look visually different and unique.

37. Filmed in Toronto, Ontario in June 2015 under the code name “Bravo 14.”

38. Writer Paul Dini, who created Harley Quinn in Batman: The Animated Series (1992), said he found her look optimistic and promising.

39. Enchantress’ appearance in this film is meant to lead into Dark Universe. In the comics, she has a role in the ensemble.

40. Blake Lively turned down the role of Enchantress. Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Megan Fox, Ellen Page, Krysten Ritter, Emma Stone, Alicia Vikander, Shailene Woodley, Emilia Clarke and Alexandra Daddario were all considered for the role.

41. The first comic book movie where the main cast is a team of supervillains but the second to be announced. The first to be announced was the The Sinister Six.

42. Jai Courtney’s character Captain Boomerang is portrayed on the TV show Arrow (2012) by Nick E. Tarabay, Jai’s co-star on Spartacus: Blood and Sand (2010).

43. On July 11th, 2015, the first trailer for the film was at Comic Con. Warner Brothers did not intend the trailer to be widely seen, but later relented and publicly released the trailer a few days later.

44. There are rumors that Scott Eastwood’s character is in fact Agent 37, Dick Grayson’s undercover alter ego in the comics. This gained more credibility after a leak from Warner Bros. that showed Dick Grayson’s grave (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice)

45. Luke Evans, Bradley Cooper, Mark Wahlberg, Tom Cruise, Joel Edgerton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Jon Bernthal were considered for the role of Rick Flagg.

46. Jared Leto had to prepare physically for the role of Joker (as it requires a lot of workout for being in the desired shape). But the actor was so fit and in shape already that within two months he got himself ripped & started shooting.

47. The John F. Ostrander Federal Building was named after “Suicide Squad” creator John Ostrander.

48. The film cast includes three Oscar winners: Jared Leto, Ben Affleck, Common; and two Oscar nominees: Viola Davis and Will Smith.

49. Cara Delevingne listened to rock music from Nick Cave and Megadeth to get into the right mood to play the Enchantress.

50. Floronic Man’s real name is Dr. Jason Woodrue. The Character just as the the doctor was in Batman and Robin.

51. The first non-Batman film to star The Joker.

52. Jared Leto who will be playing the Joker co-starred in 2000’s American Psycho (2000), which also starred Christian Bale who later took on the role as Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.

53. Viola Davis read M.E. Thomas’ autobiography “Confessions of a Sociopath” to prepare for her role as Amanda Waller.

54. David Ayer’s directorial debut Harsh Times (2005) starred Christian Bale, who played Batman in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy.

55. Jared Leto in preparation for the role read The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

56. Ike Barinholtz’s character is likely to be the main villain.

57. There was massive fan speculation that Scott Eastwood’s role is Deathstroke or Dick Grayson. At one point, his role was Steve Trevor.

58. Ryan Gosling, Sharlto Copley and Matt Smith were considered for the role of the Joker.

59. Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flagg in Suicide Squad) is a regular on the show The Killing (2011). The third episode of season one is named “El Diablo” which is also the name of Jay Hernandezs’ character in the film.

60. Margot Robbie was born two years before Harley Quinn made her first appearance in Batman: The Animated Series (1992).