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Storm Reid and Idris Elba as a daddy-daughter criminal duo isn’t unheard of in DC Comics and it looks like The Suicide Squad is bringing it to life
In case you haven’t heard, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad cast is growing. Filming is expected to take place in September which is only a few months away, so we can expect plenty of casting news. The latest news per The Wrap, has Euphoria actress, Storm Reid playing a mysterious role in the film.
"“A Wrinkle in Time headliner Storm Reid is being eyed to star as the daughter of Idris Elba’s character in James Gunn’s sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad… Reid is the top contender for the role.”"
The mystery behind Idris Elba’s Suicide Squad character is nerve-wracking. Everyone has a guess, but the DCEU is playing this like a covert operation. However, the latest casting news shines some light on who Elba is playing, doesn’t it? After all, a criminal with a child isn’t unheard of in the pages of DC Comics.
One character we can rule out is Deadshot. Initial reports had Elba replacing Will Smith as the gun-toting marksman. But those rumors were doused by Gunn who wanted to leave the door open for Will Smith’s return.
Nevertheless, there are other villains who have offspring besides Deadshot. Some participate in the life of crime, while others take the side of the heroes. So, what does the Storm Reid casting tell us about Elba? Let’s explore four likely possibilities.
No. 4 Deathstroke
Technically, there’s already someone in the DCEU playing the role of Deathstroke. That guy is Joseph Michael Manganiello, who made his (cameo) debut during the post credit scene of Justice League. But that was the first and last we heard of the sometime villain/anti-hero.
With the changes expected to happen within the DCEU, there’s no guarantee Manganiello will return. If he doesn’t and Walter Hamada decides to give fans a new Slade Wilson, this casting news is perhaps quite telling. Slade, as many comic book fans know, does have a daughter.
In fact, his daughter, Rose, infiltrated the Titans in an arc titled The Judas Contract. With Reid’s casting, there’s a chance the DCEU could use this as an opportunity to tell the Wilson family story. Especially since early reports suggested the DCEU’s plans for a live-action Deathstroke movie.
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3. Sportsmaster
Sportsmaster is one of the rumored characters to play a role in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. A grounded villain, Lawrence Crock doesn’t possess any superpowers, but he is extremely athletic and possesses a desire to win at all costs – which ended up getting him banned from sports after he crippled an opponent.
Most of his run-ins were with Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern, and it was during a battle with him that he seemingly died and later resurfaced as Sportsmaster. Following that, his crimes consisted of silly sprees that saw him attack sporting events.
Crock would then team with Paula Brooks/Tigress, with the pair becoming a dynamic duo and thorn in the side of Green Lantern. As the story goes, he and Paula would develop a relationship which eventually led to the latter giving birth to Artemis Crock – who has a story of her own in the comics. However, her claim to fame would later come from the animated series Young Justice.
DC Universe’s critically-acclaimed animated series has Artemis tied to some major plot points. The introduction of her character to the team creates a mysterious aura around her, and her character-depth is intriguing considering her connections with Oliver Queen, Sportsmaster, and her sister Cheshire
The freshness of these two characters only adds to their intrigue, and the DCEU could use some freshness. Taking relative unknown characters and making them into something more is a great idea.
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2. Bronze Tiger
Most people expect the announcement from Gunn to say Elba is playing Ben Turner a.k.a. Bronze Tiger, and it’s understandable considering how perfect he’d be for the role. Moreover, Ben has an excellent story that connects to Batman, Suicide Squad, League of Assassins, and Cassandra Cain.
The idea of having Ben replace Deadshot makes for a smooth transition. During his tenure with Suicide Squad, Ben and Rick Flag became friends. As a victor for justice, Ben saw himself rescue Flag and trained Jason Todd and Cheshire. Furthermore, his comic history also sees him on a hiatus in Detroit leaving some meat on the bone for a solo film.
There’s no mention of Ben having children, despite his relationships with Vixen and Gypsy. Nevertheless, like Michael Jai White’s Bronze Tiger on Arrow, the DCEU could opt to give him a child. As a result, Storm Reid’s character could play someone entirely new to the world of DC.
With her acting prowess and growing stardom, she’d bring validity to a character that has yet to exist in the comics. Since her character may have initially been the daughter of Deadshot, Gunn may opt to tweak her so that Ben and his daughter’s story feels unique.
While Ben having a daughter is the more likely scenario, it’s not the only one…
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1. Black Spider
There’s a lot to like about Black Spider, but there’s not a lot of casual fans who know about him. Young Justice gave us a look at the character but it’s nothing compared to who he really is. The same goes for Attack on Arkham, which did actually feature Black Spider as member of Suicide Squad. Still, there’s more to his story.
In the pages of DC Comics there are multiple versions of the character. Black Spider’s best tale is that of a desperate broken man taking down criminals. His murderous ways caught the attention of Batman and, as a result, he ended up behind bars. Ultimately, Amanda Waller recruited him to the Suicide Squad.
Part of what makes Black Spider unique is his battle with drug addiction. After kicking his habit, he raged a war on drugs, adopting the Black Spider name. Like some of the other characters on the list, he too fathered children.
After marrying his long time friend, Linda, he fathered a son named Michael. Of course being a hero comes with its consequences, as a drug lord discovered the identity of Black Spider and murdered his wife and son.
Storm Reid’s casting could give fans a look inside the emotional story of Black Spider – similar to Deadshot in Suicide Squad, only showing how tragic his beginnings were instead. Of course, this would mean that his story would be re-written to include a daughter instead (perhaps changing Michael to Michelle).