The Accountant2 Director Spills: Why DC Canceled His ‘Suicide Squad’ Sequel!

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Discussing a change of direction: The director who helmed “The Accountant” shares reasons behind the cancellation of his plans for the sequel of DC’s “Suicide Squad”. Originally, before James Gunn was assigned to write and direct the sequel/reboot of the 2016 “Suicide Squad”, Warner Bros. reached out to O’Connor to revamp the franchise. Having recently directed “The Accountant” for Warner Bros., O’Connor was known for his skill in creating gritty, character-driven stories like “Warrior”, “Pride and Glory”, and “Jane Got a Gun”. In September 2017, O’Connor agreed to direct “Suicide Squad 2”, but by October 2018 he had left the project, instead choosing to collaborate with “The Accountant” star Ben Affleck on “The Way Back”.

As a dedicated movie reviewer, I recently shared my thoughts with Collider about my departure from the Suicide Squad sequel. It turns out, the ongoing shuffle in leadership at Warner Bros. and DC created a clash, as the new head of the studio seemed to favor transforming my concept into a comedy – a demand that came after I had already invested nearly a year’s worth of work into it. The disagreement over the vision for the Suicide Squad sequel ultimately led me to part ways with the project. In my own words, “The ever-changing landscape at Warner Bros. and DC left us at odds, as the new head wanted a comedic take on the sequel, despite the significant work I had already done.

Here’s another illustration of the issues plaguing our industry. Initially, I had a clear vision for the project. The team was eager to move forward. However, halfway through writing the script, a new management took over, and everyone I had been collaborating with from DC was replaced. I used to write on set, having a little bungalow there, where my writing partner and I would work daily. One day, the new president of DC knocked on my door. He inquired about the script’s progress, to which I replied it was almost done. He asked if he could read it, but I said I’d prefer him to wait until it was completed. A few weeks later, I handed over the finished script, and he requested me to turn it into a comedy. I had not written it as a comedy, and there was no agreement for that with the studio. The president wanted me to rewrite it as a comedy, which meant I wouldn’t be working there anymore.

It seems the studio executive being referred to is Walter Hamada, who served as President of Warner Bros. Pictures for DC film productions from January 2018 to October 2022. This timeline aligns with the known information about the DCEU. O’Connor got involved in the DC project prior to the release of Justice League, during the brief tenure of Jon Berg and Geoff Johns as heads of DC films. However, following the poor reception and financial performance of Justice League, Berg and Johns were replaced by Walter Hamada at the beginning of 2018. Coincidentally, O’Connor departed from the project in the same month that James Gunn was hired to pen and direct The Suicide Squad, after being dismissed from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 by Disney. Despite some initial humor, The Suicide Squad also featured a substantial amount of emotion, which eventually led Gunn to secure the position as Co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran.

How Gavin O’Connor’s ‘Suicide Squad’ Would Change the DCU

It’s intriguing to learn that Gavin O’Connor initially planned his Suicide Squad sequel to focus on a father-daughter story involving Deadshot. This idea appears to have been subtly incorporated into James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, as the character of Bloodsport seems to have taken over for Deadshot, owing to scheduling issues with Will Smith. Similar to Deadshot, Bloodsport is a skilled assassin, serving as a squad leader in the Suicide Squad and also having a daughter.

It was speculated that in Gavin O’Connor’s pitch for “The Suicide Squad”, the team would face off against Dwayne Johnson’s character, Black Adam. However, this rumor seems questionable as by the time O’Connor agreed to direct “The Suicide Squad”, the plan was already set to give Black Adam a standalone movie. Eventually, Jaume Collet-Serra, who had been a leading contender for directing “The Suicide Squad” before O’Connor was appointed, took on the task of directing Black Adam.

During the late 2010s and early 2020s, it was quite intriguing to be a fan of DC films. Many movies were planned but never materialized, and in the case of Batgirl, an entire film was produced that will never see the light of day. If Warner Bros. and DC had proceeded with O’Connor’s vision, the DC cinematic universe might have taken a completely different shape. Perhaps Johnson wouldn’t have had as much creative freedom as he did on Black Adam (or maybe he would have), and Gunn may not have had the opportunity to direct a DC movie, leading him instead to oversee an entirely new slate for the DC Universe, which includes this summer’s Superman. It makes you wonder how one single film can bring about such far-reaching consequences.

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2025-04-14 21:02