If you were someone who likes to gamble, you’d probably guess that there were two actors that were shoo-ins for roles in James Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad.” Your first choice would have been Dave Batista, who became the filmmaker’s biggest defender last year and openly lobbied for a role in the film. Reports say that the actor wasn’t able to free up his schedule in time for a role, so he won’t be appearing. But the other choice is Michael Rooker, who is one of Gunn’s closest friends and has been in just about every project the filmmaker has made in the last decade.
Well, you’d be one-for-two. According to The Wrap, Michael Rooker is now in talks to appear in the upcoming Warner Bros./DC film. Adding to the excitement of having Rooker on board is the fact that the report claims the actor will likely play King Shark in the supervillain team-up sequel, where he’ll join Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, Jai Courtney, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, and Daniela Melchior, who round out the cast.
READ MORE: Daniela Melchior Set To Play Ratcatcher In James Gunn’s ‘Suicide Squad’
You probably can figure this out based on the name, but King Shark is a DC villain that is an oversized, superstrong, anthropomorphic shark. The character has yet to debut on the big screen, but has been seen in live-action over on the CW’s “Flash” TV series.
Rooker is probably best known for his roles in projects like “The Walking Dead,” “Cliffhanger,” and Gunn’s two ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films. If you want to see something a bit more off the beaten path, but might well be his greatest role yet, you should check out “Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer.”
“The Suicide Squad” is scheduled to hit theaters on August 6, 2021, with production said to begin later this year. Update: Michael Rooker himself has denied the Wrap report.
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