Honestly, when David Ayer’s Suicide Squad first hit theaters back in 2016, most people were busy arguing about Jared Leto’s forehead tattoos or whether Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn was carrying the entire film on her back. But if you look at the fan forums and the way the DC Universe has shifted leading into 2026, there’s one character who has aged like a fine, chaotic wine. We need to talk about George "Digger" Harkness. Specifically, why the captain boomerang suicide squad movie portrayal by Jai Courtney is basically the glue that held the "worst of the worst" together, even when the scripts didn't quite know what to do with him.
He's a scumbag. Let's be real. He’s a guy who brings a pink stuffed unicorn named Pinky to a black-ops mission. He’s an Australian bank robber who throws sticks for a living in a world where Superman can move planets. And yet, Courtney’s performance turned a potentially corny Silver Age villain into the most authentic "believable asshole" in the DCEU.
Why the Captain Boomerang Suicide Squad Movie Version Worked
It’s about the vibe. You’ve got Deadshot being the professional hitman with a heart of gold, and Harley being the wild card, but Digger? He’s the only one who truly feels like he doesn’t want to be there.
In the 2016 film, there’s a recurring gag where Boomerang just... leaves. He ditches the group during the Midway City hike, only to wander back in a few scenes later like a human version of his namesake. It’s a subtle bit of character work that David Ayer actually fought for. He wanted Boomerang to represent the anarchy of the squad. Most people missed that the pink unicorn, Pinky, wasn't actually in the script originally. It was a piece of set decoration that Ayer decided Digger should just have. He’s a "Brony." It’s weird, it’s unexplained, and it’s perfectly in line with a guy who probably smells like cheap beer and stolen watches.
The James Gunn Shock Factor
Then came 2021. James Gunn took over for The Suicide Squad, and he did the unthinkable. He killed him. Within the first ten minutes, Digger gets shredded by helicopter debris and blown sky-high on that Corto Maltese beach.
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It felt personal.
Fans were genuinely pissed. Why bring back one of the few universally liked elements of the first movie just to turn him into confetti? But if you ask Gunn—and people have—it was the only way to prove that "anyone can die." If you kill the new guys like T.D.K. or Javelin, nobody cares. You kill a legacy character like Captain Boomerang, and suddenly the audience is leaning forward.
Jai Courtney actually admitted in an interview with SlashFilm that he was shocked when he read the script. He thought he’d have a much bigger role. He didn't find out he was dying on page ten until his agents got the final draft. It’s a bummer, but it also cemented his status as a cult favorite.
The 2026 Perspective: Is Digger Really Gone?
We’re sitting here in 2026, and the DCU is a different beast now. With James Gunn and Peter Safran's new slate taking over, everyone is asking the same thing: can a boomerang really stay gone?
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Interestingly, Gunn has been dropping hints for years that "death isn't permanent" in comic book movies. During the press circuit for his recent projects, Courtney mentioned that he’s had "casual" chats with Gunn about a potential return. Remember, the new DCU is a soft reboot. Characters like John Cena’s Peacemaker and Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller are sticking around. There’s no reason a version of Digger Harkness couldn't pop up in a Flash movie or a Rogues spin-off.
The captain boomerang suicide squad movie legacy isn't just about those two films; it’s about the fact that he’s the ultimate survivor who finally ran out of luck. Or did he? Some fans are still convinced he faked his death or that the "Digger" we saw die was a decoy. (Okay, that’s a stretch, but let us hope.)
What Most People Get Wrong About His Power
"He just throws boomerangs." Yeah, and Hawkeye just shoots arrows.
In the comics, Digger is a genius-level engineer. He builds boomerangs that explode, boomerangs that emit high-frequency sound, and even ones that can fly through space. The movies leaned more into his "unpredictable drunk" persona, which was fun, but it sort of nerfed his actual threat level. This is a guy who regularly fights the Flash. Think about that. He fights a man who can move faster than light, and he manages to survive. That takes a specific kind of crazy spatial reasoning that the 2016 movie only touched on during the brief Flash cameo where Ezra Miller zaps him into custody.
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Key Takeaways from the Boomerang Era
If you're revisiting the films or wondering why this character still has such a grip on the fandom, keep these points in mind:
- The Pinky Factor: The unicorn wasn't just a joke; it was a character trait added on the fly to give him a "hobby" besides crime.
- Jai Courtney’s Redemption: Before Suicide Squad, Courtney was often called "box office poison." This role completely changed his trajectory, proving he’s a fantastic character actor when he’s allowed to be a dirtbag.
- The "Boomerang Always Comes Back" Theory: Both Gunn and Courtney have teased that the door isn't 100% closed for a DCU return, possibly through time-jump narratives or the multiverse.
- Comic Accuracy: While the outfit changed (moving away from the blue tunic and white boomerangs of the 60s), the "jerk" personality was spot on.
Honestly, the captain boomerang suicide squad movie experience is best enjoyed if you don't take it too seriously. Digger wouldn't want you to. He'd probably just want to know if you have twenty bucks he can "borrow" for a beer.
The next time you're scrolling through Max or whatever streaming service is dominant this week, give the 2016 Suicide Squad another look. Ignore the messy editing. Just watch Courtney in the background of scenes. He’s always doing something—stealing a drink, looking for an exit, or muttering to himself. That’s the kind of detail that makes a character live forever, even after they’ve been blown up on a beach.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Watch the Flash Cameo: Go back and find the 30-second clip of Boomerang's arrest in the 2016 film; it’s one of the best "connected universe" moments that actually felt like a comic book page.
- Read "Suicide Squad: Bad Blood": If you want the version of Digger that the movies were trying to capture, this run by Tom Taylor is the definitive modern take on the character.
- Keep an Eye on Peacemaker Season 2: With Rick Flag Sr. appearing, the bridge between the old "Squad" and the new DCU is being built right now. If Boomerang returns, it’ll likely be teased in the "Waller" series or through ARGUS files in upcoming shows.