Let's be real for a second. When David Ayer's Suicide Squad hit theaters in 2016, the reviews were, well, a chaotic mess. Critics absolutely shredded it. But amidst the neon-soaked editing and that divisive Joker, one thing actually worked: the suicide squad movie deadshot. Will Smith didn't just play a guy who shoots things. He brought a weirdly grounded, fatherly energy to a movie that was otherwise trying way too hard to be "edgy."
He was the anchor. Honestly, without Floyd Lawton, the whole movie probably would have drifted off into a sea of Hot Topic aesthetic and incomprehensible CGI.
The Problem With "The Man Who Never Misses"
Deadshot is a tough character to get right because his whole "power" is basically just being really good at math and physics. He’s not a meta-human. He doesn't have a magic ring. In the comics, Lawton is often portrayed as a nihilist with a death wish—a guy who wants to go out in a blaze of glory because he doesn't think his life has any value left.
When Will Smith took the role, people were skeptical. Would the world's biggest movie star actually play a cold-blooded assassin? Or would he just play "Will Smith with a wrist-mounted gun"?
Surprisingly, we got a bit of both. Smith’s suicide squad movie deadshot balanced the mercenary lifestyle with a desperate, almost pathetic need for his daughter's approval. It made him the most human person in the room. While Harley Quinn was busy being "rotten," Deadshot was just trying to make sure his kid got into a good school. That’s a relatable motivation, even if you happen to kill people for a living.
Why the 2016 Deadshot Actually Worked
Critics often complain about the pacing of the first Suicide Squad, and they aren't wrong. The introduction scenes felt like a series of music videos. However, Deadshot's intro—where he’s negotiating a hit for $2 million plus a very specific set of demands—set the tone for the professional side of the character.
He wasn't a psycho. He was a contractor.
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The Shooting Range Scene
Remember the scene at the prison where he gets to test out the arsenal? That wasn't just cool visuals. It was a character study. He’s showing off, sure, but he’s also asserting dominance over Rick Flag and Amanda Waller. He’s proving he is the most valuable asset they have. The way he adjusts the scope and fires a rapid-fire sequence that puts every bullet in the same hole? That’s pure comic book Deadshot. It’s calculated. It’s precise.
The Father-Daughter Dynamic
This is where the movie took a massive departure from the darkest versions of the comics. In the books, Lawton’s relationship with his family is... complicated, to say the least (often involving tragedy and accidental death). In the movie, his daughter Zoe is his "moral North Star."
Some fans hated this. They wanted the suicidal, "I don't care if I live" Deadshot. But for a mainstream blockbuster, giving him a heart gave the audience a reason to care if he survived the final battle against Enchantress. Without that kid, he’s just another guy in a mask.
The Mask Controversy
Speaking of the mask, can we talk about how much time he spent not wearing it?
In the comics, the white mask with the red targeting eye is iconic. It’s what makes Deadshot, Deadshot. In the suicide squad movie deadshot version, we only see the mask during the big action set pieces. Why? Because you don't pay Will Smith $20 million to hide his face for two hours.
It’s a classic Hollywood dilemma. You want the comic accuracy, but the studio wants the "A-List" face on the poster. Ironically, the mask they did design was actually incredible. It looked tactical and worn-in. When he finally puts it on for the alleyway fight against the Eyes of the Adversary, the movie suddenly feels like a proper DC flick. For five minutes, at least.
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Comparing Smith's Deadshot to Idris Elba’s Bloodsport
It’s impossible to talk about Deadshot without mentioning the "replacement" in James Gunn’s 2021 The Suicide Squad. Originally, Idris Elba was rumored to be taking over the role of Deadshot because Will Smith had scheduling conflicts.
Instead, Gunn made a smart move. He cast Elba as Bloodsport.
Now, let's be honest: Bloodsport and Deadshot are basically the same character in the context of these movies. Both are:
- Expert marksmen.
- Dads with "troubled" daughters.
- Reluctant leaders of the team.
- Men with daddy issues of their own.
Elba’s Bloodsport was grittier and more cynical. Smith’s Deadshot was more charismatic and "heroic" in a traditional sense. If you watch them back-to-back, you can see the DNA of the suicide squad movie deadshot all over Bloodsport’s character arc. The difference is that Gunn leaned into the R-rated absurdity, whereas Ayer tried to keep Deadshot grounded in a sort of gritty, street-level reality.
The "Ayer Cut" and What We Missed
There has been a lot of talk—mostly on Twitter—about the "Ayer Cut" of Suicide Squad. According to David Ayer, his original version of the movie was much darker and featured more development for Deadshot.
Supposedly, there were scenes exploring more of his backstory and a deeper conflict with the Joker. In the theatrical release, Deadshot and Joker barely interact. But in the original script, there was more of a rivalry there. Deadshot is a professional; Joker is chaos. Seeing those two philosophies clash would have been fascinating. Instead, we got a movie that felt like it was edited by someone who had just discovered EDM and strobe lights.
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How to Scale Your Deadshot Knowledge
If you're looking to dive deeper into why this character matters, you have to look beyond the 2016 film. The suicide squad movie deadshot is just one flavor of a very complex character.
- Read Secret Six (2006): This is widely considered the best version of Deadshot. Writer Gail Simone turned him into a tragic, hilarious, and deeply broken man. If you liked the movie version, this will blow your mind.
- Watch Batman: Gotham Knight: There is an animated segment called "Crossfire" that shows Deadshot doing what he does best. It’s stylish and shows the "assassin" side of him that the movie glossed over.
- Check out the Arkham Games: The Deadshot in Arkham City and Arkham Origins is cold. He’s a boss fight, not a protagonist, and it highlights how terrifying he is to normal people (and even to Batman).
The Legacy of the Character
Is Will Smith ever coming back?
Rumors fly every few months. With the new DCU being built by James Gunn and Peter Safran, the door is technically open. Smith has expressed interest in returning, and fans generally liked his portrayal even if they didn't love the movie.
The suicide squad movie deadshot proved that you could take a B-list villain and turn him into a lead character. He paved the way for the "villain-as-protagonist" trend we’re seeing now. He wasn't perfect, and the movie around him was a bit of a train wreck, but Lawton’s journey from a hitman to a guy who chooses his daughter over a paycheck is still the best part of that 2016 experiment.
The real strength of the character isn't that he never misses. It's that he knows exactly what he's losing every time he pulls the trigger.
Key Takeaways for Fans
- Appreciate the stunts: Most of the tactical movements Smith used were coached by actual Navy SEALs and Army Rangers. He spent a significant amount of time at Taran Tactical (the same place Keanu Reeves trains for John Wick).
- Context matters: Don't judge the character solely on the theatrical cut. The "Studio Intervention" on this film is legendary, and Deadshot's arc suffered the most from the chopped-up timeline.
- Focus on the dynamic: The chemistry between Smith and Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn) was the heartbeat of the squad. Their "friendship" is one of the few genuinely sweet things in a movie about killers.
If you want to understand the character's impact, go back and watch the "Chemical Wedding" scene or the final stand. Ignore the weird gray monsters. Just watch the way Lawton handles himself. He’s a guy who knows he’s going to hell and has decided to make sure his daughter doesn't have to follow him there. That's good writing, regardless of the Rotten Tomatoes score.