Warner Bros. The Suicide Squad will mark the introduction of Idris Elba’s Robert DuBois, a.k.a. Bloodsport, to the DC Extended Universe. During a panel for the film at Brazil’s CCXP virtual event, director James Gunn and Elba provided a new glimpse at Bloodsport’s technologically advanced costume.
While The Suicide Squad will include a number of cast members from David Ayer’s preceding film, Elba’s Bloodsport will be one of several newcomers added to the titular roster as part of Gunn’s effort to offer audiences a fresh take on the supervillain team. The filmmaker had been tapped to write and direct a follow-up to Suicide Squad after Disney fired him from Marvel Studio’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in response to the resurfacing of controversial social media posts he wrote years ago. Though Gunn was eventually reinstated as the director of the third Guardians of the Galaxy film, his work on The Suicide Squad will take precedent until the DC film is complete.
As one of the guests included on CCXP’s The Suicide Squad panel, Elba offered additional insight into the limits and capabilities of Bloodsport’s costume. Accompanying Elba’s detailed description of the outfit is footage of what appears to be an animatic of Bloodsport wielding two weapons included with the suit. “He has a very cool costume, you know? His costume is, like, seriously innovative and technically advanced, and he’s the only guy that can use it,” Elba explained. “And in this film, he gets to show it off and he’s brutal.”
The DuBois version of Bloodsport was introduced in the comics as a man who suffers a mental breakdown and develops an obsession with the Vietnam war after learning his brother, who had decided to fight in a frightened DuBois’ place, has become a quadruple amputee. After an agent of Lex Luthor convinces DuBois that Superman is an adversary and arms him with Kryptonite bullets, the mercenary takes on the Bloodsport moniker and severely injures the Man of Steel with his newfound weapons. However, Bloodsport is thwarted when he’s taken to a psychiatric hospital following a confrontation with his brother. Gunn has already confirmed that Elba’s incarnation of Bloodsport will share his comic book counterpart’s history of being incarcerated for shooting Superman with Kryptonite bullets.
The Suicide Squad is one of the 17 films included as part of Warner Bros.’ plan to release its 2021 line-up in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously. However, the decision reportedly does not sit well with Gunn, partly because he and others were not informed of Warner Bros.’ release strategy in advance.
HBO Max will also be the home of Peacemaker, a spin-off series centered on John Cena’s eponymous master of weapons. Gunn is set to write all eight episodes of The Suicide Squad spin-off in addition to directing multiple entries.
The Suicide Squad will be released in theaters and on HBO Max in the US on August 6, 2021.
