First there was Rocky Balboa. Then there was John Rambo. And now there’s … well, we don’t exactly know who yet, but we know that Sylvester Stallone will appear in The Suicide Squad, on target for a theatrical release in August 2021. He will join Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Peter Capaldi, Viola Davis, Pete Davidson, Nathan Fillion, Alice Braga, and many others in the sequel to the 2016 film Suicide Squad (no The).
Word came directly from director James Gunn‘s Instagram, in which he shared a photo of himself and the legendary star at a bar or restaurant, with (what is likely) a print of a Leroy Neiman painting behind them.
“Always love working with my friend @officialslystallone & our work today on #TheSuicideSquad was no exception. Despite Sly being an iconic movie star, most people still don’t have any idea what an amazing actor this guy is. 🙌,” Gunn wrote.
Gunn called a wrap on filming back in February, so it’s a little unclear how Stallone fits into the new film if the two were working on Saturday. (Will he appear solo, on, say, a video screen? Or maybe we’ll just hear the mellifluous tone of his voice? Time will tell!)
Stallone had a small role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, so he and Gunn have now hit both sides of the comic book movie fence, having worked in the Marvel and DC cinematic universes. (Judge Dredd, which starred Stallone in 1995, is based on a comic not published by one of the “big two,” but British imprint 2000 AD.)
Gunn, who regularly engages with fans on social media, stayed in the comments for a while after his announcement. A fan who seemed concerned that with so many names in the movie the studio was going to cut it “into a Frankenstein” had his nerves assuaged. “The movie you’ll see in theaters is exactly the film I want it to be,” Gunn responded. He also told another fan that “there are no plans for a PG-13” version of the movie.
When a supporter wrote that Stallone’s scene in Guardians is a solid reminder of his acting chops, that he looked “genuinely heartbroken chewing out” Michael Rooker‘s character Yondu, Gunn wrote back that it was “one of my favorite scenes to shoot ever.”
Stallone himself chimed in, adding, with some texting thumbs, “James, Coming from a tireless And amazing Director , I consider that to be the Paramount of compliments! Keep punching, Sly.”
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