'The Suicide Squad': Michael Rooker Might Reunite With James Gunn And Play King Shark

Michael Rooker and director James Gunn are frequent collaborators, and it appears the duo is on course for another cinematic reunion. A new report says Rooker is currently in talks to play a character named King Shark in Gunn's upcoming The Suicide Squad, the sequel to David Ayer's 2016 film Suicide Squad. Read more about the character below.

Rooker, best known for playing the Ravager leader Yondu Udonta in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, has appeared in every one of Gunn's feature-length movies thus far, so today's report from The Wrap isn't especially shocking. It says Rooker is in discussions to come on board The Suicide Squad, and that he'll play King Shark, a humanoid shark who, in the comics, is the son of a Shark God. Wikipedia says the character's "augmented flesh provides protection against the pressures of the deep and physical attacks", he can breathe underwater, swim very quickly, can withstand cold temperatures, and has super strength. But his coolest power, and one that sets him apart from the DC characters we've seen on screen thus far, is that he can regenerate lost bodily tissue.

Of course, King Shark also uses his claws and teeth as weapons. Rooker, who is no stranger to toothy, finned comic book movie characters with two turns as Yondu under his belt, sounds like a fine fit for Gunn's delightfully bizarre ensemble.

If he officially signs on, Rooker would join an appropriately eclectic cast which is already in place. Idris Elba, once thought to be taking over for Will Smith as Deadshot, is instead playing a new character, John Cena may be playing Peacemaker, Daniela Melchior is playing Ratcatcher, and David Dastmalchian is playing Polka-Dot Man. And though Aquaman producer Peter Safran once referred to this movie as a "total reboot" of the Suicide Squad, Viola Davis is back as Amanda Waller and Jai Courtney is returning to reprise his role as Captain Boomerang. The extent of the connection between this and the previous film remains to be seen. There are also rumors that Margot Robbie is coming back to play Harley Quinn, although that has yet to be confirmed. She'll be playing that character again soon in Birds of Prey: (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

The Suicide Squad is slated to hit theaters on August 6, 2021.