The Suicide Squad's James Gunn Said He Had Two Other Backup Movie Choices

When news first broke that James Gunn would be taking on The Suicide Squad, fans were surprised but excited at the idea that the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker helming a DC project. But it turns out that the upcoming The Suicide Squad wasn't the only movie idea he had for DC. Gunn revealed in Instagram stories on Monday that he had two other backup movie choices had he not been able to do The Suicide Squad.

On Monday, the filmmaker had a little question and answer through the social media platform in which fans dropped him various questions. One fan asked Gunn what his second choice DC movie was, prompting the filmmaker to reveal that there were actually two backups -- but not reveal what they were.

"I had two," Gunn wrote. "Maybe you'll find out some day (but not today)."

Another fan wanted to know if the other movies he had in mind are projects that now have different directors or remain unannounced and Gunn said that they were projects that would only get made if he did them, at least at the time.

"Both are projects that weren't getting made unless I did them, at least not at this time," he wrote.

While it's a tantalizing mystery what those backup projects were, when it comes to the film that he is making for DC, Gunn also was asked about how he prepared for The Suicide Squad. Specifically, Gunn was asked how much research he does before writing the script for a movie and Gunn explained that it was pretty extensive reading of the comics.

"Well before writing Suicide Squad I reread every single Suicide Squad comic," Gunn said.

The Suicide Squad will be a follow-up, but not a sequel, to David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad movie. In addition to Cena, the film's cast also includes returning stars Margot Robbie (Harley Quinn), Viola Davis (Amanda Waller), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag) and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang), and newcomers Peter Capaldi, Idris Elba, Michael Rooker, Nathan Fillion, Sean Gunn, David Dastmalchian, Storm Reid, Pete Davidson, and Taika Waititi.

The Suicide Squad opens in theaters on August 6, 2021. Other upcoming DC Films movies include Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5th, The Batman on June 25, 2021, Black Adam on December 22, 2021, Shazam! 2 on April 1, 2022, Super Pets on May 20, 2022, The Flash on July 1, 2022, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.