Suicide Squad Central Cast Members Announced

Source: DC Entertainment

Believe it or not, the DC Cinematic Universe is finally gaining some traction. Here's why...
Warner Bros. Pictures have today announced the identities of the esteemed thespians who'll comprise the central cast ensemble of their upcoming anti-hero blockbuster Suicide Squad. A spin-off of sorts from the hotly-anticipated Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, this sure-to-be-quirky adaptation of the beloved Detective Comics saga of the same name has the unenviable job of matching Dawn's ambition just a few short months after the aforementioned crossover motion picture's March 2016 release.

Were we talking about any other aspiring franchise, the odds of a secondary outing eclipsing the main event in two years' time would seem hopelessly improbable, yet the DC Cinematic Universe has done little but defy our expectations in recent months, rolling out subversive reveal after subversive reveal - not least through Warner's confirmation that they'll be the first studio to launch female-led and Caucasian-led genre efforts - up until now and, thankfully, today's no different in that regard. If Marvel Studios' current line-up of Hollywood A-listers appeared impressive, then prepare for a shock, since between Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Ben Affleck and now this foremidable roster of legendary performers, DC have seemingly assembled every major thespian who wasn't already signed on for an MCU instalment in order to match their greatest competitors from the outset.

Without further ado, then, here's a comprehensive round-up of Suicide Squad's leads, who they're playing and how those characters are represented in the realms of DC comic-books (as well as how they've been portrayed in past adaptations (where appropriate)):

• Will Smith plays Deadshot, a exemplary assassin whose power lies in his ability to dispatch opponents from a distance using his trusted-but-deadly sniper rifle. For evidence of the potential of Smith's latest construct, we'd advise sampling the character's cameo appearance in Batman: Arkham City or Michael Rowe's deliciously sinister portrayal of one of the Suicide Squad's longest-serving members in The CW's superhero drama Arrow.
• Cara Delevingne (Grand Theft Auto V; Pan) will take on the role of Enchantress, a protagonist-turned-antagonist who's known for her divided loyalties to infamous DC teams such as Justice League Dark (more should be coming on Warner's potential adaptation of this story arc soon, by the way, at least if director Guillermo del Toro has anything to say on the matter), the Sentinels of Magic and, of course, the band of merry villains who give this project its fascinating title.
• Tom Hardy (This Means War; Inception) is making his return to the DC Cinematic Universe - albeit a different version of said universe from the one he remembers - after his contribution as Bane in The Dark Knight Rises in order to play Rick Flagg, a character who's well-known as a regular leader of the titular Squad, particularly as he was one of its founding members (though at the time of its inception, the team went by the name of Task Force X, as diehard fans will surely already know!).
• Jai Courtney (John Reacher; A Good Day to Die Hard), meanwhile, is following in the footsteps of Arrow's Nick Tarabay by bringing us an innovative rendition of Boomerang. Normally this traitorous foe goes by the name of Captain Boomerang, though with any luck even the most ardent fans of the character will forgive the omission of the rather silly forename once they see an oft-mocked yet nonetheless still-loved menace receive his big-screen début.
• Jared Leto (Mr. Nobody; American Psycho; Dallas Buyers Club) and Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street; Focus) are doubtless the names on everyone's minds following Warner's announcement, however. They'll conspire in tandem as the Joker and Harley Quinn respectively, the latter of whom has - for reasons beyond our comprehension - until now stayed well clear of the cinematic linelight, instead remaining confined to televised (check out the sixteenth episode of Arrow Season Two, "Suicide Squad", to witness a marvellous cameo) and video game appearances. The question remains, of course, as to whether Leto can possibly top Heath Ledger's critically acclaimed work as the aforementioned Clown Prince of Crime in The Dark Knight, but if nothing else, we're fascinated to discover the answer.

Suicide Squad embarks on its daring first mission in cinemas worldwide on August 5th, 2016.