Shia LaBeouf Was Approached For Suicide Squad

After a stint of bizarre tabloid features, Shia Labeouf is back on track with his career. The actor is making a comeback in a big way with indie films like American Honey. Shia is getting some of the best reviews of his career because of the film as it stunned critics who knew the actor for Transformers and Indiana Jones. However, did you know the actor was very nearly cast in another studio franchise? The actor just revealed he was approached about a role in Suicide Squad.

Speaking with Variety, the actor said David Ayer sought him out for Suicide Squad. Following Fury (2014), the director approached Shia about the film. The role, however, wound up going to Scott Eastwood who played Lieutenant GQ Edwards. Shia said the character was different when heard of him but “then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit. That character and Tom [Hardy’s] character [later played by Joel Kinnaman] got written down to build Will up.”

And, what’s more, it appears that Warner Bros. wasn’t keen on Shia starring in the film. “I don’t think Warner Bros. wanted me,” he said. “I went in to meet, and they were like, ‘Nah, you’re crazy. You’re a good actor, but not this one.’ It was a big investment for them.”

More than likely, the studio was concerned about how Shia’s reputation would affect Suicide Squad. Once known as a child star, the actor had all but shed that reputation after a series of alcohol-related incidents. Shia had very publicly taken a step away from studio films by that point and found himself drawn towards smaller productions such as Nymphomaniac. A string of surprise performance-art projects also started to overshadow Shia’s resume, but the actor says each of those events helped him appreciate his career more.

“I don’t think I’d be working with the directors I’ve been working with if I had not f**ked up a bit,” he explained. “They wanted a f**king fireball. They wanted a loose cannon. I’m learning how to distill my ‘crazy’ into something manageable, that I can shape and deliver on the day.”

As for whether Shia would take on another blockbuster, the actor said he wasn’t sure. He did say he’d be willing to work with Michael Bay again as the pair met through Transformers. “Mike is an artist,” Shia said. “People don’t realize how dope that dude is. He’s got to get a little ballsier with his moves — he’s trying to toe the line and be James Cameron, but James Camerons are dying. I don’t know what he’s chasing, but that version of director is dead.”

Even though Suicide Squad did pass over on Shia, the movie has had a great run. The film recently entered the Top 100 Highest-Grossing Films of All Time at the worldwide box office despite an intense wave of critical backlash. Suicide Squad has raked in more than $600 million internationally, and users here at ComicBook.com have rallied behind the film to gift it with a 4.3 star rating.

[H/T] Variety