With Idris Elba replacing Will Smith as Deadshot in The Suicide Squad, it’s now time for writer-director James Gunn to turn his attention to filling out the rest of the ensemble, and while we haven’t heard any names except for the obvious one below, we have learned which characters are expected to comprise the rest of the squad. A rewrite could, of course, change things, so keep in mind that none of this is confirmed, it’s just what we’re hearing from sources right now. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Ratcatcher, aka Otis Flannegan, is a man in the DC comics, though Collider has learned that the character will be gender-swapped and played by a woman in The Suicide Squad. Ratcatcher is is a super-criminal and one of Batman’s many enemies. She started out as an exterminator in Gotham City before turning to a life of crime, aided by an army of small rodents she can communicate with and control. She’s also a fan of poisonous gas.

Nanaue, aka King Shark, is a super-villain and humanoid shark whose father is believed to be the so-called Shark God, though others dismiss him as merely a savage mutation.

Polka-Dot Man, aka Mister Polka Dot, is a Gotham City super-villain and like Ratcatcher, a sworn enemy of Batman. He grows multi-colored polka dots on his body that he can turn into fireballs and other weapons, even though, for the most part, he’s embarrassed about his awkward abilities.

Peacemaker, aka Christopher Smith, is an agent of peace whose motives are driven by an extremist form of pacifism that makes him love peace so much he would kill for it.

Interestingly enough, Peacemaker is the role that sources say Gunn likes for Dave Bautista, the Guardians of the Galaxy star who defended the director when he was fired from Vol 3. by Disney chiefs Bob Iger and Alan Horn. It’s a funny coincidence, given that Bautista tried to play peacemaker (sort of) throughout that entire situation, and it’s no surprise that Gunn is eager to reward the actor for his unwavering loyalty.

Meanwhile, sources say that the new Squad script positions Deadshot as a surrogate father of sorts to Ratcatcher, though the role remains open to actresses of all nationalities and ethnicities.

There are a few other loose ends to tie up regarding the sequel. Will Margot Robbie reprise her role as Harley Quinn? You’d think that the actress would be under contract to return, and that Gunn would love to write for that character, so as of now, I think she’ll return, albeit in a limited capacity. Meanwhile, in its story about Elba, the Hollywood Reporter says its sources are conflicted about whether Joel Kinnaman‘s squad leader Rick Flagg will return for the sequel. I have no idea where things stand on that front. And finally, I haven’t heard anything about Viola Davis and her Amanda Waller character. I thought she’d be back for sure, but it’s been awfully quiet out there as far as her participation is concerned. I wonder what gives…

We should get some clarity soon from Gunn and DC Films chief Walter Hamada, as Warner Bros. is slated to release The Suicide Squad on Aug. 6, 2021. The first film, directed by David Ayer, grossed $746 million worldwide, but was reviled by critics to the tune of a 27% rotten rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

"First of all, we don’t call it Suicide Squad 2 ‘cause it’s a total reboot, so it’s The Suicide Squad and I think people should be extremely excited about it. It’s everything you would hope from a James Gunn script and I think that says a lot and that promises a lot and I know that we will deliver a lot."

Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” debuted its teaser poster today with Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio looking retro cool. The film tells the tale of the Manson Family killing of actress of Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) set against other crazy events in the summer of 1969.

At the legendary Smokehouse eatery last night Tarantino was a part of the Horror Director crowd as a guest of Director Mick Garris’s bi-annual Masters of Horror dinner. The gathering included James Gunn, who was congratulated on being rehired by Disney for “Guardians of the Galaxy 3.” He’s off to South America to shoot the reboot of “Suicide Squad.”