The Suicide Squad writer and director James Gunn says he wrote the role of Bloodsport for Idris Elba, despite never having met the actor.
The Suicide Squad director James Gunn reveals he always had Idris Elba in mind for Bloodsport. Gunn's followup to David Ayer's first Suicide Squad film is set to hit theaters next year, and like Ayer's 2016 outing, focuses on an eclectic cast of DC characters. However, only a few from Ayer's film are set to return in The Suicide Squad, including Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn and Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang. The rest of The Suicide Squad cast is comprised, mostly, of actors who will be appearing in a live-action DC film for the first time.
One of the actors making his DC debut in The Suicide Squad is Elba. After signing on to the film in 2019, DC fans speculated for months about who Elba would be playing. Those speculations ended a few weeks ago during the DC FanDome event, when it was confirmed Elba will be Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad, a violent and formidable mercenary from the DC comics. It turns out Elba was Gunn's first choice for the role all along as well.
While wishing the actor a happy birthday on Twitter yesterday, Gunn revealed he wrote the role of Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad specifically for Elba. Gunn even says he had Elba in mind for the character despite having never met him prior to writing the script. Check out Gunn's tweet below:
Considering just how well-respected of an actor Elba is in Hollywood, it's not surprising Gunn would have been excited by the thought of casting him in The Suicide Squad. Assuming the film sticks somewhat close to who Bloodsport is in the DC comics, it's easy to see why Gunn wanted an actor with a formidable screen presence to play the unpredictable, dangerous character. Although not much is known about the film's plot right now, Elba's Bloodsport has been set up as one of the sequel's biggest new characters. So, although it's hard to know exactly how Bloodsport will fit into The Suicide Squad's story, he should play a pivotal role in whatever mission Task Force X is sent on in the film.
Elba was one of the many cast members featured in the behind-the-scenes Suicide Squad trailer released during the DC FanDome event. Both that BTS trailer and "roll call" teaser focused heavily on the unique lineup of characters Gunn has assembled for The Suicide Squad. It's not hard to see why given the sheer level of talent attached to the film. Based on Gunn's tweet, though, Elba's Bloodsport has the potential to be one of the The Suicide Squad's standout characters.
Source: James Gunn
