The Suicide Squad Shatters Records as Most-Watched Red Band Trailer, Beating Mortal Kombat

Warner Bros.’ R-rated The Suicide Squad has set a new global record for the most-watched red band trailer in its first week, according to writer-director James Gunn. The studio behind the DC Films ensemble released the gore and swear-filled first red band trailer on March 26, revealing new looks at Rick Flag’s (Joel Kinnaman) squad of rogues who are dying to save the world: Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and King Shark (voice of Sylvester Stallone) — who are all one trigger away from being blown to bits by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis).

“I just got word #TheSuicideSquad redband trailer set a new record for most views of a redband trailer in a week, with over 150 million views worldwide,” Gunn tweeted on Friday. “I’m incredibly grateful to all of you for making this happen! THANK YOU!”

The Suicide Squad blows away a recent record set by Warner Bros. Pictures’ own Mortal Kombat — the bloody and viciously violent adaptation of the fighting video game franchise — when New Line Cinema reported the film won the title of most-watched red band trailer of all time. The adults-only trailer for director Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat punched up 116 million views in its first week, according to a recent report, topping four-day records set by R-rated Marvel-Fox X-Men spinoffs Logan (released in 2017) and the Ryan Reynolds-starring Deadpool 2 (released in 2018).

Unlike its PG-13 predecessor, 2016’s David Ayer-directed Suicide Squad, Gunn’s film about a crew of costumed and expendable supervillains who take on “suicide missions” in exchange for commuted prison sentences is rated R. DC Extended Universe newcomer John Cena, who plays Peacemaker, previously gleefully reported that Gunn’s film is “quite graphic.”

“This one is completely unique,” producer Peter Safran said during a first-look at The Suicide Squad revealed at DC FanDome last summer. “This is a gritty, 1970s war movie combined with the brilliance of James Gunn’s characters and comedy.”

In The Suicide Squad, welcome to hell — a.k.a. Bell Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out — even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and everyone’s favorite pyscho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.

The Suicide Squad releases August 6 in theaters and on HBO Max.