Rumors Detail Batman's Role In Suicide Squad

We know that the Joker and Harley Quinn have lead roles in Warner Bros.' 2016 Suicide Squad movie, but what role might their heroic foil, Batman, play in the movie?

Latino-Review has some details, though they still fall into the rumor category. They were revealed on Umberto Gonzalez' Instagram page:

According to sources, in the film Batman is some sort of big boogeyman that the government REALLY hates. Get this, prior to the events in #BatmanvSuperman, THE JOKER is the only one to really ever meet him or know him and that's why he's so important to Amanda Waller. They have footage of Batman in action which they watch. There is a bit of dialogue where they say Batman is the key to tracking down all "the supers." Very cool stuff.

A few things are interesting to note here. One is that, while Batman's presence is apparently strong in the film, the rumors say nothing about Batman actually appearing in the movie. That doesn't mean it can't still happen, perhaps as a post-credits scene, but there's no confirmation of that in this particular set of rumors.

It's also interesting to consider where the movie seems to be drawing inspiration from, and where it might point the DC Cinematic Universe. Waller's investigations into meta-humans seems to cast her in a role similar to how she was portrayed in Justice League Unlimited, as a government hardliner looking to keep tabs on those with superpowers, and not without reason.

The idea of the Batman as an urban legend is also a familiar one from the comics. It may mean that Batman will stay out of the public eye once the Justice League is fully formed.

The idea that Waller is looking into Batman as a way to get to the other meta-humans also may hint at the possibility of storyline similar to the Mark Waid's "Tower of Babel" arc from JLA, which was later adapted into the animated film Justice League: Doom. The story sees the Justice League taken out after the Bat-computer is hacked and secret files that Batman was keeping on the other Leaguers, detailing their weaknesses for exploitation if they should ever turn from the side of the angels, fall into the wrong hands.

Suicide Squad opens August 5, 2016.