'Suicide Squad 2' Cast Loses Will Smith Due To Scheduling Conflicts

Looks like someone else is going to have to say the titular line in Suicide Squad 2. Will Smith, who played Floyd Lawton aka Deadshot in the 2016 anti-hero film, is no longer part of the Suicide Squad 2 cast. Smith's departure has been chalked up to scheduling conflicts. James Gunn is on board to write and direct the follow-up, which is rumored to be both a sequel and a reboot that will hopefully make us all forget about the terrible first movie.

The first Suicide Squad film was a major disappointment – even the most hardcore DC movie fans can admit that. But I'll say this much: Will Smith's performance in the film as Deadshot was pretty good! Smith brought his movie star charisma to the part, and he and co-star Margot Robbie – who also worked with Smith in the thriller Focus – had an easy-going chemistry. There's still some debate about whether or not Robbie is coming back for Suicide Squad 2, but one thing is for sure: Will Smith is out.

Variety has confirmed that Smith won't be returning for the sequel, adding that "scheduling was the ultimate factor and that the decision was made on amicable terms between both sides with no hard feelings." So what now? Will Warner Bros. and James Gunn cast a new actor as Deadshot, or will Deadshot be eliminated from the script entirely?

Details are extremely scant at the moment. Reports first indicated that Robbie – who is currently filming the DC film Birds of Prey – would not be coming back for Suicide Squad 2. But earlier this month, a new story claimed Robbie might return after all. And Variety confirms that Warner Bros. definitely wanted both Smith and Robbie to "return while figuring out other casting decisions along the way."

While critics tore Suicide Squad apart, the film still did well at the box office, taking in a total of $746 million. That's a big enough number to give Warner Bros. enough confidence to forge ahead with a sequel, but the studio also wasn't about to ignore all those terrible reviews. In a move that clearly signals potential improvement, Warners hired James Gunn to first write, and then direct, the sequel. Gunn previously worked with Marvel on the Guardians of the Galaxy films, but was fired after old offensive tweets came to light. Now, Marvel's loss is DC's gain.

Warners is hoping to start production on Suicide Squad 2 in the fall. Smith, meanwhile, is currently filming Bad Boys 3. He'll next be seen in Disney's Aladdin and Ang Lee's Gemini Man. He also lends his voice to the animated film Spies in Disguise.

Suicide Squad 2, or The Suicide Squad as some are calling it, opens August 6, 2021.