Casting Call: Suicide Squad

A feature by SLAMADAM!

The Suicide Squad is a team of DC super villains that the government implemented as their own wetworks team. They tended to be universal villains: ones that jumped hero to hero and usually didn’t have a home on any rogue gallery. Considering that they were probably on death row or looking at a life sentence, these bad guys were more than happy to get back in the field even though they were being forced to fight for the light side. I have said this many times, but the comic book subgenre in cinema needs to start diversifying. A team of supervillains forced to be superheroes might be the push the subgenre needs.

Amanda Waller – CCH Pounder

Amanda Waller is the government liason who leads the Suicide Squad. She is a strong female character who regularly stands up to rogue agents and equally stubborn bad guys. If the DC animated universe got anything right it was hiring CCH Pounder as Amanda Waller. She has a grandmotherly voice with police chief attitude. For evidence of her ability to challenge and lead badasses, look no further than her very underrated role in the memorable television series, “The Shield.”

Rick Flag – Johnny Messner

Rick Flag is a name shared by a father and son both with a connection to the Suicide Squad. The original was a member of the WWII team, his son was a member of the modern team. He is simply a soldier with no powers or gimmicks. He was never meant to be team leader, but his military background helped gravitate him toward the role becoming Waller’s unofficial second in command. Johnny Messner has either been relegated to the background or stuck in D-Movie purgatory. He excels as military types with bad attitudes, and I found his dramatic work in Believers.

Deadshot – Garret Dillahunt

Deadshot has been one of the most consistent member of the Suicide Squad in all of its forms. He is every writer’s go-to archetype for badass turned forced good guy. Mainly, he is a big, giant douchebag but with enough wit to give him a pass. Garret Dillahunt has been balancing his career on gritty drama and screwball humor. Whether it be his completely psychopathic cover op on “Burn Notice” or his dunce father on “Raising Hope,” he has certainly excelled at both. The fact he can grow the prerequisite facial hair helps.

Bronze Tiger – Michael Jai White

Bronze Tiger is probably the second most consistent, or simply the next most prolific after Deadshot. He is a martial artist master and hired assassin who stills has some level of honor. I remember him being a man of few words. Jai White is not the greatest actor in the world, but given the right role, he can excel. His mix of martial artistry and deep voiced melodrama can make this role perfect for him.

Captain Boomerang – Kevin McNally

There has been a couple different variations of Captain Boomerang. My favorite is his Indentity Crisis version which involved him becoming an overweight, balding has-been who earned him a reputation of being incompetent. I like this version because 1) if gives him a desperation that might motivate his joining of such a team and 2) this kind of characterization seems very individual as most supevillains lean on ego-mania has a weakness. Kevin McNally is well known for his role as Pirates of the Caribbean as Jack Sparrow’s right hand man, Gibbs. He brings a charming, likable personality to the drunken knave stereotype.

Plastique – Isla Fisher

Plastique is a sexy red head with a way with explosives. At some point, they gave her superpowers, but they might as well keep her just a demo expert. I remember her being mostly feisty and flirtatiously rebellious. Isla Fisher seems tailor made for the role. All of her roles have been sexy redheads with feisty attitudes. I feel like she has kind of disappeared from the lime light last scene in the delayed Burke and Hare. It would nice to see her back in front of the camera especially in an ensemble cast since she seems to have chemistry with anyone she appears on screen with.

Tattooed Man – Bokeem Woodbine

The Tattooed Man that appeared on the Suicide Squad was actually Abel Tarrant, who debuted back in 1963 as a Green Lantern villain. The title was later given to Mark Richards, who took center stage around the time of Final Crisis. I think the movie should invest in his character instead. He seemed far more interesting a character. He had a family that was struggling financially and socially. On top of which, his tattoos have a mystical property, some of them even had sentience, like an undead samurai, Kabuki Dan, and a dominatrix demon, Altera. Bokeem Woodbine has made a career playing gangster and soliders. Mark Richards is a combination of both. Woodbine really impressed me in the shortlived tv series “Saving Grace,” where he played a death row inmate struggling to come to terms with his spirituality and struggling to repent his sins.