With David Ayer’s SUICIDE SQUAD set to follow BATMAN V SUPERMAN next year, all seemed to be coming together nicely on the villain-centric film, especially Warner Brothers managed to put together quite the impressive ensemble to fill their rogues line-up. Then came word last week that Tom Hardy, on board to play Rick Flag, had actually departed the project already. Having worked with Ayer on the brilliant END OF WATCH, Jake Gyllenhaal was then said to be in talks to replace Hardy. That now seems off the cards.

Variety is reporting that Gyllenhaal, despite having some talks for the Rick Flag gig, has decided to pass on the film. The reasoning for the actor’s decision isn’t known at this stage, although the reasoning for Hardy’s earlier departure is said to largely come down to the script and some changes made to the character in the story. Recent reports from Latino Review suggest that Flag will essentially be a kind of government figure who oversees the Task Force X team that Amanda Waller puts together in the film.

Still on board for the film are Jared Leto as The Joker, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Will Smith as Deadshot, Jai Courtney as Boomerang, Cara Delevingne as Enchantress, and Viola Davis as Amanda Waller.

SUICIDE SQUAD is currently set for an August 5th, 2016 release.

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