Warner Bros. has added Michael De Luca to produce “Suicide Squad 2,” sources tell Variety.
Variety first reported the news that Warner Bros. would be reconfiguring the look of its DC Universe, including the arrangement of executives in charge of each film. The addition of De Luca seems to signal that the studio would prefer having a central figure focused on a single project rather then having one individual oversee several films, as Charles Rovin and Zack Snyder had been doing up until these recent stumbles.
Gavin O’Connor is on board to write and direct the sequel to “Suicide Squad,” which stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto.
The movie is a top priority at Warner Bros. and looks to be one of the two DC properties (the other being New Line’s “Shazam!”) to begin production this year. Given the ensemble’s busy schedule, the shoot isn’t expected to start until fall of 2018.
Despite earning negative reviews “Suicide Squad” was a huge hit for Warner Bros., bringing in more then $745 million worldwide.
De Luca is an interesting choice as he is known for films like “The Social Network,” “Moneyball,” and “Captain Phillips,” though in recent years he has added tentpoles to his workload, including the “Fifty Shades of Grey” franchise, which concludes this February with “Fifty Shades Freed.”
He also recently came on as a producer for Chris Pratt’s action comedy “Cowboy Ninja Viking,” which Universal is hopeful has franchise potential as well.
