Watch the Well-Lit First Trailer for James Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’

The Suicide Squad gets a facelift from Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn.

In 2016, the DC Extended Universe and director David Ayer released Suicide Squad — their own version of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Starring Will Smith, Jared Leto Margot Robbie, Viola Davis, Suicide Squad was about a gang of villainous characters teaming up to stop a threat. 

Despite making more than $700 million at the box office, the movie was not well received and the franchise was left in lingo. (Even though there is a group out there who would like to see the “Ayer Cut.”) And that’s when James Gunn, the director of the first two Guardians of the Galaxy movies, stepped in. In July 2018, the director was fired from Disney after a bunch of old problematic tweets resurfaced. He was soon snatched up by Warner. for the sequel. (Soon after, Disney came back and he’s now doing Guardians of the Galaxy 3.)

And now we have the first look at James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. The trailer was released on Friday. Margot Robbie and Viola Davis are both returning to their roles as Harley Quinn and Amanda Waller, respectively, but this is mostly a new set of actors and characters. Idris Elba is playing Bloodsport (the role Smith played) while John Cena is Peacemaker. The funniest casting choice is Sylvester Stallone who plays a giant, violent shark appropriately named King Shark.

The trailer looks light and fun. And, more importantly, well lit. Until now, the movies in the DCEU have all had this dark, look to them. This includes everything from the first Suicide Squad to Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which was released last week.) The movie is also rated R, unlike the original Suicide Squad which was PG-13.

The movie is coming out on August 6th on theaters and HBO Max. Check out the trailer below.