Let’s be real. When David Ayer’s first attempt at this franchise dropped in 2016, the vibe was... messy. It had the star power, sure. Will Smith was there. Margot Robbie basically became a cultural icon overnight. But something felt off. Fast forward to 2021, and James Gunn basically said, "Hold my beer," and pivoted to a roster of D-list villains that most comic book fans hadn't even thought about since the eighties. Honestly, the Suicide Squad cast for the 2021 soft reboot is one of the weirdest gambles in superhero movie history. It’s a group of people that, on paper, should not have worked together. You have an Oscar winner like Viola Davis sharing scenes with a guy playing a human-sized weasel.
It worked because it didn’t try to be cool. It tried to be tragic.
The Core Players and the Margot Robbie Factor
You can't talk about the Suicide Squad cast without starting with Harley Quinn. Margot Robbie has played this character three times now, and each time, she finds a different gear. In the 2021 film, she’s less of a "joker’s girlfriend" and more of a chaotic force of nature. It’s a physical performance. She did many of her own stunts, including that insane scene where she escapes handcuffs using her toes. That’s not CGI. That’s just Robbie being incredibly dedicated to the bit.
Then you have Idris Elba as Bloodsport. Originally, rumors swirled that he was replacing Will Smith as Deadshot. Thankfully, Gunn realized that would be a mistake. Instead, Elba plays Robert DuBois, a man who put Superman in the ICU with a Kryptonite bullet. Elba brings a grounded, grumpy "dad" energy to the film that anchors the absurdity. He’s the straight man in a room full of lunatics.
The Breakout Stars Nobody Expected
If you told a casual fan in 2019 that the highlight of a massive blockbuster would be a woman who controls rats and a giant shark voiced by Sylvester Stallone, they’d have laughed. But Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2 is the actual heart of the movie. Her performance is quiet. It’s soft. Amidst all the explosions and gore, she represents the idea that even the "trash" of society has value.
And then there’s John Cena.
Cena’s Peacemaker is a revelation. He’s a guy who loves peace so much he’s willing to kill every man, woman, and child to get it. It’s a satirical take on American jingoism, and Cena plays it with this terrifying, blank-eyed sincerity. It was so effective that it launched a hit HBO Max series. Most actors struggle to transition from wrestling to legitimate acting, but Cena found his niche here by leaning into his physique while mocking his own persona.
Why This Ensemble Felt Different
The 2016 Suicide Squad cast felt like a collection of "cool" people trying to look "edgy." Jared Leto’s Joker was the peak of this—all tattoos and method acting stories about sending used condoms to his co-stars. It felt forced. Gunn’s cast feels like a group of losers. David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man is perhaps the best example. His character has a ridiculous power, but the movie treats his trauma seriously. He’s literally haunted by visions of his mother. It’s tragic, hilarious, and deeply weird all at once.
Joel Kinnaman also deserves a shout-out for his glow-up as Rick Flag. In the first movie, Flag was a generic military guy. In the sequel, he’s wearing a yellow t-shirt with a cartoon on it and actually has a personality. His chemistry with Elba is fantastic. They have this "anything you can do, I can do better" rivalry that feels like a classic 80s buddy cop dynamic.
The "Expendable" Nature of the Roster
One of the boldest moves regarding the Suicide Squad cast was how many of them died in the first ten minutes. It was a bait-and-switch. You see big names like Pete Davidson and Nathan Fillion, and you assume they’re part of the main journey. Nope. They’re gone before the title card even drops.
This served a purpose. It established stakes. In most superhero movies, you know the main cast is safe because they have sequels to film. Here, the "Squad" moniker actually meant something. If a character like Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), who survived the first movie, could get taken out in the opening skirmish, then nobody was safe.
A Breakdown of the Technical Performance
- Viola Davis (Amanda Waller): She is the true villain. Davis plays Waller with a cold, bureaucratic evil that is scarier than any kaiju. She doesn't need powers; she just needs a tablet and a lack of conscience.
- Sylvester Stallone (King Shark): This was a voice-only role, but it required a specific kind of innocence. Stallone’s deep, gravelly voice saying "Nom nom" or "Bird!" turned a man-eating monster into a fan favorite.
- Peter Capaldi (The Thinker): The former Doctor Who star brought a frantic, intellectual arrogance to the role. Those lightbulbs sticking out of his head? Those were practical effects, not just post-production additions.
The Production Reality
Filming this was apparently a massive undertaking in Atlanta and Panama. Unlike the heavily green-screened environments of the MCU, Gunn pushed for massive practical sets. When you see the cast walking through the jungle or the streets of Corto Maltese, a lot of that was actually built. This helps the actors. It’s easier to give a human-quality performance when you’re standing in real dirt rather than a lime-green room.
The chemistry you see on screen wasn't just movie magic. The cast reportedly spent a lot of time together off-set, going to see movies and hanging out. This is why the banter feels natural. When Bloodsport and Peacemaker are arguing about who has the better bullets, it feels like two friends bickering, not actors reading a script.
Final Thoughts on the Legacy of the Cast
The Suicide Squad cast proved that you don't need the A-list Avengers to make a compelling comic book movie. You need a director with a vision and actors willing to look stupid for the sake of a good story. By leaning into the "freak" aspect of these characters, they created something much more memorable than a standard action flick.
🔗 Read more: Stuck on Depict by Drawing Crossword Clue? Here is Why It Is Tricky
If you're looking to dive deeper into this world, the best move is to watch the Peacemaker series. It expands on the themes of the movie and gives John Cena even more room to show his range. Also, keep an eye on James Gunn’s new DC Universe plans; while the slate is being wiped mostly clean, some of these actors are likely to return because their portrayals were just that definitive.
How to Appreciate the Ensemble Better
- Watch the 2016 and 2021 versions back-to-back. You’ll notice how the tone shift affects the acting styles—from "tough guy" posturing to "damaged weirdo" vulnerability.
- Look for the cameos. Notice Lloyd Kaufman (the Troma legend) and Sean Gunn (who played Weasel and did the on-set motion capture for Calendar Man).
- Pay attention to the background actors. The rebels in the film were cast to look like real people with history, not just Hollywood extras.
- Listen to the soundtrack. The music cues often reflect the specific internal state of the characters, especially during the Harley Quinn "flower" escape scene.
The casting was a masterclass in subverting expectations. It took a group of characters that the general public didn't care about and made their deaths—and their lives—actually matter.