'Suicide Squad' Trailer Breakdown: Examining All Of That New Footage Frame-By-Frame

You've probably already seen the new Suicide Squad trailer that was unveiled yesterday. You may have already seen it a few times because it is one seriously impressive piece of marketing that showcases a tone and style that no one saw coming. Warner Bros. has obviously taken a few cues from how Marvel sold Guardians of the Galaxy to introduce this gang of misfits and oddballs to a wider audience and it works absurdly well. Director David Ayer has cooked up something that takes place in the same world as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, but it looks completely different in just about every way.

While the trailer does a fairly good job of establishing the basic premise (the government recruits a bunch of imprisoned DC comics super villains into a task force that is forced to go on dangerous missions), it doesn't delve into the plot specifics. At the same time, it's bursting with mysterious images, insane moments, and surprising beats. This thing begs for a frame-by-frame breakdown.

And your wish is my command.

One quick note before we begin: this post contains no actual spoilers, but it will feature a ton of speculation, some of which is fueled by rumors that have appeared online. If you fear any kind of potential spoiler, think twice before trekking ahead.

The trailer opens in what appears to be Belle Reve, the DC universe's main penitentiary and the second most escapable place in the world (the first being Arkham Asylum, of course). You can barely make it out the image above, but the words "Firm but fair"are scrawled on the walkway, which is advice that we bet the guards here regularly ignore.

As Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" plays on the soundtrack, we start to meet the main players. First up is Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn, introduced making the most out of a bad situation. It's nice to know that the Joker's former shrink didn't completely abandon her intellectual side when she went completely and totally insane.

And here is Will Smith's master marksman Deadshot, looking very much like Will Smith. Still, it's impressive how little this trailer leans on his star power – it's great to see him as part of the ensemble, but this movie knows that it has more to offer than a single actor.

This is the shot where a few skeptics may start to find themselves coming around. This movie doesn't just feature Killer Croc (played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), it takes place in a world where his prison cell has his own personal pond. That's silly. That's fantastic.

Next up is Jay Hernandez's El Diablo, who gets a surprising amount of screen time in the trailer. Here he is conjuring fire in his cell. As we'll soon see, Suicide Squad takes place in a DC movie universe where crazy powers like this are accepted and dealt with, which is a nice change of pace from the great-but-grounded Dark Knight trilogy.

Look, I have little love for Jai Courtney. He's impossibly wooden in Terminator: Genisys and A Good Day to Die Hard. He's most definitely not a leading man I like watching...but maybe he's a wacky character actor I want to watch as long as he's allowed to keep his natural Australian accent? Courtney is more entertaining and watchable in this trailer than in all of his major roles combined and his Captain Boomerang looks appropriately unhinged and odd and hilarious. Is this where we turn the corner on Mr. Courtney? I certain hope so. It's time to end the hate.

She may not have much to do in this trailer, but Amanda Waller is a big deal in the DC universe and the immeasurably talented Viola Davis seems like a perfect fit for the part. This government operative may not have any powers (unless you count her endless bureaucratic resources and nerves of steel), but she is this universe's biggest mover and shaker. She organizes the Suicide Squad, pulls their strings, and knows exactly what's going on when everyone else is in the dark. This is the woman who can stare Batman in the eye without blinking. There are many colorful characters in this movie, but she may be the one we're most eager to see in action.

Cool colors, guys.

This is the part of the trailer where each member of the title team is forcibly rounded up to serve the greater good. It takes an entire team of armed guards to bring in Deadshot, who cracks "What is this? Cheerleading tryouts?" As far as hokey Will Smith one-liners go, this one is a solid B+.

Courtney's Captain Boomerang is literally transported to the scene in a bodybag and he comes out swinging. Is Courtney the comic relief of this movie? It certainly looks like it. And somehow, he appears to be up to the task.

How do you transport a man who can summon fire out of nowhere? By drenching him in water, of course.

And how do you transport a powerful, man-eating crocodile mutant? Very carefully, Hannibal Lecter-style.

Here is our first proper glimpse at Joel Kinnaman's Rick Flagg (a role originally intended for Tom Hardy), the military commando tasked with leading the Suicide Squad in the field. As we see later in the trailer, his job in the movie seems to involve being the straight edge upon which the crazies get to bounce, which is a vital but thankless task.

Holy smokes. Akinnuoye-Agbaje's practical Killer Croc make-up is nothing short of fantastic. This is the kind of character who could've been 100% CGI, but Ayer and his team went the extra mile and it appears to have paid off.

Here's the big question: is Cara Delevingne's Enchantress actually a member of the team? This portion of the trailer is cut to suggest that she is, but the actual footage suggests that she isn't. In fact, everything in this trailer backs up the rumors that this deranged witch is an antagonist and the main subject of the Suicide Squad's mission. In any case, note the grimy magical debris swirling around her body in this shot. We'll come back to that in a bit.

Adam Beach's Slipknot gets almost nothing to do in this trailer, but for the sake of completeness, here's his one close-up. Our prediction: he's the member of the team that dies first to raise the stakes for everyone else. After all, the comic book version of the Suicide Squad is no stranger to casualties, so killing off a member or two wouldn't be out of the ordinary. Plus, Slipknot is conspicuously missing from most of the big ensemble shots later in the trailer.

Harley's little speech about voices telling her to kill everyone is probably the funniest beat in a trailer filled with funny beats. We can talk all day about whether or not this film has rendered this character unrecognizable next to her comic book counterpart, but Robbie seems to be totally game and having a ball (and that could be all that we need).

Here's our first hint of...well, whatever it is the team is up against. Whatever it is, it's capable of causing destruction on a massive scale. In other words, it's the kind threat that encourages the use of totally expendable super-villains.

What do we have here? Some kind icky, supernatural-looking grossness! In what may be one of the most pleasant surprises of this trailer, the main mission at the center of this movie appears to revolve around something entirely fantastical. The Squad could have easily fought a bunch of criminals or terrorists, but it looks like they're actually facing down something far more unusual. It's fantastic to see a movie that already lives in left field embracing its pulpy side.

Here's a cool shot of our main players plus Katana, who joins up with the team at some point. Note that lack of back-up and the absence of a few characters. Where did everyone else go? Predict away!

Who really runs this team: Rick Flagg or Deadshot? This shot finds the two of them taking point, leading a team of soldiers into a building. Surely these two are going to butt heads at some point because there's no way a professional lone assassin played by a movie star likes taking orders from some government fellow.

Here's another shot of the nasty, destructive wake left by whatever the team is hunting. Could this icky residue be the result of magic worked by Enchantress? If she's on the loose, causing mayhem with her powerful magical abilities, the Suicide Squad may be the best possible response.

In the comic book world, Deadshot is defined by a high-tech mask that backs up his already masterful marksmanship. It's weird to see the first cinematic version of the character doing what he does best without his headgear, but when you pay for Will Smith, you want to show off Will Smith.

Oh. Hey. Look at that! The big question now is how quickly the movie will find an excuse to lose this thing so Smith can do things like emote and act and use his expressions to convey meaning and such.

Here's another piece of evidence concerning the villain(s) of this movie: they have minions of some kind. Grotesque minions covered with some kind of fungus that bears a close resemblance to the residue we saw above and the black magical debris swirling around Enchantress. We don't get a good look at these guys, but there's something about Captain Boomerang battling a supernatural fungus zombie that makes the heart sing.

Here's another angle on that same scene, just in case you want to further examine the monster Captain Boomerang is killing by seemingly cutting its throat with a boomerang.

If you need to put another spring in your step today, here's a shot were the vicious crocodile-man beats the crap out of the magic-fungus-zombie. This movie looks wild.

And here. We. Go. Jared Leto's Joker arrives awfully late in the trailer, but he makes an instant impression. Controversial tattoos and clothing choices aside, Leto certainly leaves an impression – this is not a guy you want to ever share a room with. For better or worse, this is an utterly unique riff on a character who has already seen countless variations. Color me intrigued.

Here's our first look at two of the Joker's henchmen, each of whom have incredible costumes. The Joker himself may be a big reinvention, but these colorfully dressed goons are about as traditionally comic book-y as you can get.

For those worried that Leto's Joker would spend the whole movie shirtless to better show off his awful tattoos, there's this shot of him dressed to the nines. In fact, the Joker goes through many costume changes in this trailer alone. In other words, this isn't just "thug Joker," as some fans have complained. This looks to be a Joker who wears whatever the hell he wants, whenever the hell he wants.

Here's another shot of Enchantress, once again surrounded by that cloud of...something. And just in case you thought her antics were limited to a city block or two, note the screen on the wall behind her. To paraphrase another Will Smith action movie: "This shit just got real."

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd want to know what a boomerang-wielding maniac has to say to a deranged crime-clown worshipper, but here we are. And once again, Jai Courtney showcases more magnetism in this shot than he has in most of his other movies combined.

The Joker costume change number three! Nothing to say here other than "This is a really cool shot and a nice taste of what to expect from this take on the Clown Prince of Crime."

Just in case this movie already wasn't looking wacky and colorful enough, here is Katana's sword, Soultaker, shimmering with some kind of supernatural energy. As its name implies, this weapon absorbs the souls of the people it kills, allowing its owner to reincarnate those victims and force them to do their bidding. You know, just another layer to this already insane super villains versus black goo zombies movie.

Damn it, Jai Courtney. You just made opening a can of soda funny. Your path to redemption has truly and officially begun.

Place your best: does this shot of Katana's eyes going black showcase one of her abilities or (and I'm just spitballing here) suggest that she's being mind-controlled by Enchantress?

Sorry, cities of the world! You are never safe from total destruction in DC superhero movies! If Superman won't punch your buildings into dust, then military helicopters will just indiscriminately launch missiles at them!

This Joker henchman is dressed like a panda, which instantly makes him the greatest henchmen in any comic book movie ever. You really can't top that, especially since the Joker is the exact kind of nut job to order one of his men to wear this thing.

I can't tell you who Scott Eastwood is playing in this movie, but here he is, wearing military garb and exchanging fist bumps with a fellow soldier. Early rumors suggested that he was playing Wonder Woman love interest Steve Trevor, but since Chris Pine is already playing that character in the Wonder Woman movie, so that's impossible. Unless (and this is just me grasping in the dark) he's playing a descendant of Steve Trevor, which would give Gal Gadot's Diana a modern ally that directly connects her to a past lover. Of course, that theory only works if this DC universe is willing to get as complicated and interconnected as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But anyway: there's Scott Eastwood. Who the hell knows what he's doing here?

Wait a second...why is Groot in this movie? Jokes aside, that's obviously another one of those weird fungus zombies (or something like it) we saw earlier. In any case, this one is about to be hit by a subway train.

Joker costume change number four! And look! More henchmen in great costumes!

Does this terrific action shot of Will Smith's Deadshot shooting at something offscreen...

...have anything to do with this shot of black fungus magic zombie things running at the camera? It certainly looks like it. It definitely looks like these things are going to be the cannon fodder of the movie. Note the weapon in the hands of the middle creature – could these things be transformed versions of the soldiers originally sent in alongside the Squad?

The camera loves Margot Robbie. Seriously. She's a star. Anyone who saw The Wolf of Wall Street and Focus can tell you that, but this movie, good or bad, is going to solidify it.

Here's another shot of not-Groot wreaking havoc in the subway. Just when you think this trailer can't reveal something else truly bizarre...

Here's Cara Delevingne before she gets possessed by a witch and becomes the Enchantress. Note the lack of evil magic dust! And the different hair color! And the fact that she doesn't look ready to murder everyone in the room!

Joker costume change number five! Just in case you're counting.

From the look of things, El Diablo will get at least one big hero moment in the movie. But will he live to see the end credits? He certainly seems a bit more expendable than most the crew.

This shot of Delevingne presumably comes during her transformation into Enchantress. After all, she's mostly submerged in a black pond and she's starting to look like she wants to murder everyone else in the room.

Joker costume change number six! More importantly, he's leaping off a catwalk and into a giant vat of chemicals. Hmm...

We all know the basics of the Joker's origin story: a man (maybe an innocent, maybe a criminal) falls into a vat of chemicals and emerges with his physical appearance permanently transformed and his sanity gone. Here, he can be seen pulling Harley out of a vat of bubbling ooze as colors swirl around them. It's another great shot in a trailer filled with great shots and it suggests that the Joker put his reluctant girlfriend through a similar process to kickstart her transformation into a maniac.

A clearer look at a previous Joker costume change. We'll say this much: Leto wears the hell out of that jacket.

Joker costume change number seven! We know from previous reports that this scene involves the Joker and Harley speeding through the streets of Gotham with Batman in hot pursuit.

Oh, yeah: the threat here is totally magical. No doubt about it. Does this cloud create all of those black fungus zombies in the first place? It sure looks like it.

And yep, the trailer concludes with Harley pausing the entire mission to engage in a little shoplifting. It's a fun capper to a very fun trailer.

Aaaand titles. There you go. Suicide Squad opens on August 5, 2016. Feel free to further obsess over this trailer in the comments below.