Fans Think The Suicide Squad Cast Video Hints At John Cena And Idris Elba’s Roles

Idris Elba in Thor

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The DC Extended Universe has a number of highly anticipated blockbusters heading to theaters over the next few years. Chief among them is James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, which will be a soft reboot from David Ayer's 2017 original. Gunn's upcoming DC debut will feature a handful of returning faces, and a ton of newcomers in mysterious roles. But now the fandom seems to think they've cracked the code regarding Idris Elba and John Cena's characters.

James Gunn recently celebrated his birthday, with the iconic filmmaker getting tons of love on social media as a result. The cast of The Suicide Squad put together a birthday video for their director, with each of them recording small clips from the comfort and safety of their homes. And some fans believe that John Cena and Idris Elba's characters are hinted as Peacemaker and Bronze Tiger respectively. As a re minder, you can watch the video in question below.

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Let's break down exactly what we're being shown here. In the video (which James Gunn shared on his personal Twitter) there are a variety of actors hinting at their characters throughout its runtime. Margot Robbie briefly uses her Harley Quinn voice, while David Dastmalchian is wearing dots on his face as a nod to his upcoming character Abner Krill / Polka-Dot Man. As such, fans looked over John Cena and Idris Elba's clips for clues regarding their mysterious characters.

John Cena pops up early in James Gunn's Suicide Squad birthday tribute. Cena is playing an arcade game, with uzis in each hand. This fact has resulted in fans theorizing that the wrestler turned actor might be playing Peacemaker in the upcoming DC blockbuster. Rather than an all-out villain, Peacemaker is typically a hero (and pacifist) in the comics. But he's also in peak physical condition with a ton of weaponry at his disposal. The character isn't exactly a household name, but that might chance if he makes his live-action debut in The Suicide Squad.

David Ayer's original Suicide Squad movie is currently streaming over on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

As for Idris Elba, he's preparing to pivot from Marvel to DC in The Suicide Squad, after his character Heimdall was killed by Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War. And after hearing his deep, slow-motion video to James Gunn, fans are thinking that he might be teasing his role as Bronze Tiger. He's powerful villain who has been seen in The CW's Arrow, and is an expert martial artist. It would be a badass role for Elba, but we'll have to see if this latest fan theory comes to fruition.

While The Suicide Squad's cast was announced, the majority of their roles remain a mystery. The fans are eager for any and all information about the upcoming blockbuster, and exactly what Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has in store for his upcoming DC debut. But he's clearly got experience with showing a motley crew of unknown comic book characters that eventually win over the hearts of audiences. Except this time they'll be villains.

The Suicide Squad is currently expected to arrive in theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.