If you were hoping Jaume Collet-Serra would direct Suicide Squad 2, we have some bad news. The director passed on the Warner Bros. venture, but he’ll direct a movie for Walt Disney Pictures!
Several filmmakers, including Mel Gibson, Jonathan Levine, and Ruben Fleischer, have been mentioned as possibilities for Suicide Squad 2. In March, we learned that Collet-Serra, (Non-Stop, Run All Night, and The Shallows), was also in the mix. Last month, it was revealed that he had become the frontrunner for the job.
But Deadline and multiple other outlets recently reported that the in-demand director is no longer in contention, as he sealed a deal with Disney to take the helm of its upcoming action adventure, Jungle Cruise, starring the highly bankable Dwayne Johnson. The Spanish director found the opportunity to craft this new theme park attraction-based franchise more attractive than continuing a storyline originated by another director.
With Collet-Serra out of the picture, Warner Bros. will continue its search for the right director for Suicide Squad 2. They might be in a bit of a rush, as recent reports have suggested that the sequel to David Ayer's 2016 blockbuster is expected to get cameras rolling by mid-2018.
It must be noted that the movie was recently announced as an upcoming DC Extended Universe installment, alongside Wonder Woman 2, The Batman, Batgirl, and four others that are set to follow James Wan's Aquaman. Zak Penn has already written the first treatment for the project.