Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
David Corenswet as Superman
Superhero Movies How to watch DC movies in order (release date and chronological)
DCU Chapter One explained: James Gunn smiling.
Superhero Movies DCU Chapter One: Every movie and show in the new DC cinematic universe
Spider-Noir aiming his webshooter
Marvel TV Shows Spider-Noir is the "same character, different version": "It's not a continuation of Into The Spider-Verse"
Dune 2
Movies Upcoming movies: The most exciting new movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Aaron Pierre as John Stewart and Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan in Lanterns.
Superhero Shows Lanterns release date speculation, cast, plot, and everything else we know about the new DCU TV show
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies Lucasfilm boss Dave Filoni says The Mandalorian and Grogu is "a big celebration" of the Star Wars duo
Shorty (Marlon Wayans) streaming in Scary Movie 6
Comedy Movies Scary Movie 6 may skewer Gen Z and play the hits, but it's not nostalgia bait
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne during The Batman
DC Movies The Batman 2 release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know about the upcoming DC movie
Robert Pattinson in The Batman
Superhero Movies Upcoming DC movies and TV shows: Every DCU title coming soon
Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin unmasked in The Mandalorian and Grogu
Star Wars Movies The latest Mandalorian and Grogu trailer proves the film will be worth the 7-year wait for Star Wars' big screen return
Creature Commandos
DC TV Shows Creature Commandos season 2: Everything we know so far about the return of James Gunn's DC show
A legion of different incarnations of Brainiac
DC Movies James Gunn explains his comic influences for Man of Tomorrow's Brainiac, including the classic story he's not adapting
Superman coming face to face with an eerie, inhuman version of Brainiac
DC Movies Braniac star says it's a "true miracle" that he was cast in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow
Superman 2 concept art by Jim Lee showing Superman holding a screwdriver and buddying up to Lex Luthor, who is clad in his purple and green battle armor
DC Movies Superman 2 Man of Tomorrow release date, cast, plot and trailer speculation: Everything we know about the DCU movie
Scooby-Doo: The Movie
Family Movies James Gunn's R-rated version of Scooby-Doo was "very funny", says Matthew Lillard – but parents rejected it
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies

The Suicide Squad is "neither a sequel nor reboot" says star John Cena

News
By Gem Seddon published 18 June 2021

Err... so what exactly IS it then?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The Suicide Squad
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

James Gunn's take on The Suicide Squad is scheduled to hit theaters later this summer. And while certain details surrounding the production have emerged, such as the film's runtime (132 minutes), details of its cast, and whether anyone will survive (apparently that's a no), specifics over its place in the DC Extended Universe are... fuzzy. 

According to one of its stars, the movie's not a sequel but also not a reboot. John Cena, who appears in the film as Peacemaker, tells Observer his thoughts on the movie. "Perception is everything, and I won’t change your perception," he said. "But I’ll offer my own. The Suicide Squad is neither a sequel nor reboot. The Suicide Squad is the Suicide Squad from the brain of one of the most amazingly twisted creative minds in James Gunn that I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.

"James is so gifted in so many ways. The good thing about what’s going on with The Suicide Squad is exactly what you’re saying. People are kind of expecting to be something. But nobody’s ready to see this movie. Everyone needs it in their life, trust me. But nobody’s ready to see what it is. Nobody.”

You may like
  • David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames James Gunn claims he doesn't "care about prestige" as he says his goal is to "affect people in a "more spiritual way"
  • Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman James Gunn says the DCU's upcoming Wonder Woman project is "definitely not" cancelled
  • DCU Chapter One explained: James Gunn smiling. DCU Chapter One: Every movie and show in the new DC cinematic universe

Most actors involved with Gunn have nothing but good things to say about his prowess behind the lens. Joel Kinnaman, who's back as Rick Flag, went so far as to call The Suicide Squad Gunn's best movie. 

Despite what Cena says, it's not hard to see why it'd be dubbed a soft remake/reboot of David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad; the titles are practically the same and Gunn himself dubbed the film a "total reboot" a few years back.

Whatever the movie is, fresh characters are guaranteed including Cena's Peacemaker, who's also the lead in an HBO Max prequel series also helmed by Gunn. “We’re almost through filming," Cena adds. "We almost have everything in the can. It’s really fun. You may think I’m front and center, but we have an all-star cast and everyone slays.

I think it’s going to do good for how people view elements of the DC Universe. Whether it continues to weave the web and further the DC Universe, that’s up to you guys. But I think it’ll be an awesome, awesome journey.”

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The Suicide Squad is out in the UK on July 30 and in theaters and HBO Max simultaneously in the US on August 6. Before both Peacemaker and The Suicide Squad land, catch up on the DCEU with our guide on how to watch the DC movies in order.  

Gem Seddon
Gem Seddon
Social Links Navigation
Freelance Writer

Gem Seddon is a freelance writer working to keep all of you updated on all of the latest and greatest movies and shows on streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime. Outside of entertainment journalism, Gem can frequently be found writing about the alternative health and wellness industry, and obsessing over all things Aliens and Terminator on Twitter.

Read more
David Corenswet as Superman fighting back flames
James Gunn claims he doesn't "care about prestige" as he says his goal is to "affect people in a "more spiritual way"
 
 
Gal Gadot in Wonder Woman
James Gunn says the DCU's upcoming Wonder Woman project is "definitely not" cancelled
 
 
DCU Chapter One explained: James Gunn smiling.
DCU Chapter One: Every movie and show in the new DC cinematic universe
 
 
James Gunn
James Gunn says he "originally said no" to being DC Studios CEO because he "didn't want to do what Kevin Feige does"
 
 
James Gunn
James Gunn says "the universe is rife" with false Batman: Brave and the Bold information
 
 
Robert Pattinson in The Batman
Upcoming DC movies and TV shows: Every DCU title coming soon
 
 
Latest in Action Movies
Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
 
 
Mortal Kombat movie
Mortal Kombat 2 star joins in with Street Fighter movie beef after Game Awards dig because he "loves a good rivalry"
 
 
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Wyatt Russell as US Agent in Thunderbolts
Marvel star Lewis Pullman puts Avengers: Doomsday cameo overload fears to rest: "Every character has their moment"
 
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he'll be in the next Predator movie and a Conan the Barbarian sequel
 
 
Spider-Man, Hulk, and Punisher posing in the jungle alongside a carved stone head
Writer Jonathan Hickman is bringing Spider-Man 4 stars Spidey, Hulk, and Punisher together just in time for the movie
 
 
The Mummy
The Mummy 4 directors say the panned Tomb of the Dragon Emperor threequel isn't canon because Rachel Weisz wasn't in it
 
 
Latest in News
Elsa Bloodshot in Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals devs felt "panic" at the thought of going into the live-service graveyard that just claimed Highguard
 
 
Palworld Pal with shocked expression
"I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation"
 
 
Dafne Keen brandishing her claws as Laura/X-23 in Deadpool and Wolverine
Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
 
 
Peak mesa biome
Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads to see whose game would sell more
 
 
Key art for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred showing Mephisto, a spiky and angular demon, against a red, lightning backdrop, arm and claw raised menancingly, cropped to show more of him
Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion will be "really f*cking hard" at its highest difficulty, dev threatens
 
 
Jin, Mugen, and Fuu standing in a row
Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action Netflix series from One Piece studio, and the original creator is on board
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Elsa Bloodshot in Marvel Rivals
    1
    Marvel Rivals devs couldn't help but "panic" at the thought of going into the live-service graveyard that just claimed Highguard: "It's not guaranteed"
  2. 2
    "It's going to be really f***ing hard": Diablo 4 is getting 8 new difficulty tiers in Lord of Hatred because Blizzard wants OP builds to actually have to try
  3. 3
    Marvel fans are debating whether Dafne Keen should become Wolverine or stay as X-23, and I've already chosen a side
  4. 4
    "I wouldn't rule out a Palworld 2.0," says Pocketpair publishing head, but don't expect a "No Man's Sky situation" with a "decade of continuous, massive updates"
  5. 5
    "Whoever sells more copies pays for the other's therapy": Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads, and ironically the friendslop collab that followed sold more than both games combined

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...