Joel Kinnaman will replace Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg in Warner Bros.’ comic book adaptation “Suicide Squad,” multiple individuals with knowledge of the project have told TheWrap.
Warner Bros. had no comment, while representatives for Kinnaman did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Hardy was forced to exit the project due to scheduling issues with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant,” which is currently in production, as well as upcoming promotional duties for WB’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which comes out on May 15. “Suicide Squad” is expected to start production in April.
Agency sources tell TheWrap that Kinnaman is in negotiations for the coveted role of Flagg, who is the leader of a group of supervillains known as the Suicide Squad.
Director David Ayer also flirted with the idea of casting his “End of Watch” star Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Flagg, but that deal ultimately didn’t come together.
“Suicide Squad” is set to co-star Will Smith as Batman villain Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevigne as Enchantress and Jared Leto as The Joker, as first reported by TheWrap. Meanwhile, Viola Davis is in negotiations to play Amanda Waller and Jesse Eisenberg is in talks to reprise his upcoming role as Lex Luthor.
“Suicide Squad” is being produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, while Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns are serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. will release “Suicide Squad” on Aug. 5, 2016.
Kinnaman is known for his role on AMC series “The Killing,” which wrapped up its run with a fourth season on Netflix in 2014. He’ll next be seen opposite Liam Neeson in WB’s “Run All Night” and opposite Hardy in “Child 44.”
He is represented by WME and Magnolia Entertainment.