Comic Book Casting: Suicide Squad's Rick Flag

So it's no secret that with just about a month before the film goes into production, Warner Bros.' Suicide Squad film is having a little trouble finding its Rick Flag.

Tom Hardy reportedly pulled out of the role because of reduced screen time in the final draft of the script, and second choice Jake Gyllenhaal has apparently said no. There hasn't been a solid rumor since as to who's likely to actually play the part in the upcoming film.

But...who should? Wev'e got some ideas...

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

This is a guy who has a history with DC and Warner Bros., a ton of range, and who will almost certainly NOT be signing on to play the title lead in a superhero movie anytime soon. Could you plug him into a role like this, especially if it's only for one movie? Hell yeah. At face value, it seems like a great fit, and he's a big enough star that even if he doesn't "feel" perfect for the role right away, he'd be a suitable replacement for the guys who have bailed.

Ralph Fiennes

I never thought of Rick Flag as being particularly young when I read Suicide Squad, so while maybe I was misreading it, certainly there could be a role for an older actor here. Could Fiennes do a half-decent American accent? That would be the biggest issue to tackle, since he's played drama, action, good and evil with little difficulty and has a great relationship with Warner Bros. from back in his Harry Potter days.

Nicolas Cage

Another guy who's older than the rest of the group, but again: he's played good, bad, big roles and small roles, and has experience playing military men as well.

He's also a huge comic book fan and would likely take a smaller role and a smaller payday in order to play a part in the DC Universe...especially if there's potential for sequels.

Jesse Plemons

Remember like a year ago, when "that dead-eyed Opie motherf---er" from Breaking Bad was rumored for just about everything, and was supposedly going to have a key role in the Star Wars franchise?

Well, he didn't land that, but he did carry on with critically-acclaimed TV, taking a role on Fargo. Could he be next? Certainly he's got the physicality to do it and he's good at playing someone who's a little unbalanced. And fans would likely appreciate having a redhead in the role.

Joe Manganiello

This guy would be an imposing physical presence, changing the dynamic a bit from what's seen above, and it would be playing way against type for the True Blood werewolf, who usually plays the tough guy with a heart of gold or a doofus. He'd have to shave and cut his hair, which would be a potential problem in terms of his recognizability, but again: he's somebody comic fans love, and who seems to be rumored for a bunch of these kinds of roles. Eventually somebody ought to give him one, and he could nail Flag.