Watch video: James Gunn introduces his 'Suicide Squad'

Suicide Squad poster

Filmmaker James Gunn introduced his "Suicide Squad" at a virtual event, and said that the film will be different from any other superhero movie ever made. The first inside look into the world of Gunn's "Suicide Squad", which is being described as a 1970s gritty war movie, was unveiled at the virtual DC Fandome.

"The studio is overwhelmingly happy with the movie. The action is great. It's funny, and it's really dramatic in the right places," Gunn said while talking about the movie.

He also updated on the post-production process for the film, which he described as "by far the most fun I have ever had making a movie". "It's gonna be different from any superhero movie ever made," the filmmaker added.

Gunn also used the virtual event to confirm the identities of the characters being played by each of the cast members, with a "roll call" video. While many fans were hoping for a trailer reveal, the director released a montage of the behind-the-scenes footage -- teasing not just the characters but also the plot of the movie.

In the clip, it was confirmed that John Cena plays the Pacemaker while Idris Elba essays the role of Bloodsport. The actor-wrestler compared his role with Captain America, saying: "He's like a douchey Captain America". Gunn said that Peacemaker would go to any length for peace.

For Elba, "Suicide Squad" is a "twisted fantasy of characters", and said: "It's like a massive, graphic novel brought to life."

In the film, Margot Robbie will be reprising her role as Harley Quinn, alongside Viola Davis (as Amanda Waller), Joel Kinnaman (Rick Flag) and Jai Courtney (Captain Boomerang).

During the footage reveal, producer Peter Safran said: "This one is completely unique. This is a gritty, 1970s war movie combined with the brilliance of James Gunn's characters and comedy."A

The film will also star Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Michael Rooker as Savant, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Flula Borg as Javelin, David Dastmalchian as Polka Dot Man, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Nathan Fillion as T.D.K., Mayling Ng as Mongal, Alice Braga as Sol Soria and Sean Gunn as Weasel.

"I will say we have about as many explosions and crashes in this film as in any film, ever," Gunn said, adding: "In fact, the guy who did all of our special effects on this film, Dan Sudick, who's done almost all of the Marvel moviesa says there are more effects in this film than all of those movies he's done combined."

Gunn sees the new Warner Bros film as a "sequel" to John Ostrander's 1980s "Suicide Squad" comic-book run, and shared that his favourite character back then was Waller, who was "so different for the time in terms of being such a strong woman, kind of an antihero but kind of bad, kind of good, and not physically the same as everyone else you saw in comic books. I just thought she was so cool".

"I actually had a long talk with John Ostrander about this. He came in to visit the set. I said, 'I don't think of this movie so much as an adaptation of your comics. I think of this movie as a sequel to your comics'."

Talking about his influences, the filmmaker said: "I also like to continuously take in new superhero villains. (They are) great DC villains who have something to offer, and that we could put in the movies. So that is where my biggest inspiration comes from."

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