Idris Elba is reportedly in talks for a new DC project. Elba made his DCEU debut last year with James Gunn's irreverent critical hit The Suicide Squad, which served as a standalone sequel to David Ayer's 2016 movie. The original plan for Elba was to replace Will Smith's Deadshot from Ayer's film but to keep the room for Smith's return open, and because of Gunn's enthusiasm for working with the actor, he was chosen to play Robert DuBois / Bloodsport instead. A Steve McQueen-esque action hero, Elba's tech-savvy mercenary transforms from a noxious Superman villain into a capable leader in The Suicide Squad, with fans praising the actor for his emotionally-gripping performance and incredible range.

Since Elba's Bloodsport proved so popular, rumors about him getting a spinoff began swirling not long after the movie premiered. The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran also expressed interest in re-teaming with Elba, and the actor too expressed interest in continuing his association with the franchise. The speculation about a Bloodsport spinoff were ultimately quashed by Gunn, although the filmmaker said that we would love to collaborate with Elba again when his schedule clears up. Elba's DCEU future has been uncertain since then, although now, there seems to be some movement.

According to Erik Davis from Fandango, Idris Elba and DC are reportedly working toward a new project. While the source seemed to indicate that Elba is developing a movie, there is still some ambiguity about the nature of his DC collaboration. Details of the project are not being disclosed at the moment, although Elba has suggested that his DC venture is something on a big scale. Take a look at the tweet below.


Given his star power and social cachet, Elba surely isn't an actor DC Films would want to give up on. The star already has an established presence in the DCEU, so it would make sense for the franchise to parlay his bankable Bloodsport role into a feature film or even a TV show. But, as of now, there is no official word that Elba's new DC project is centered on his The Suicide Squad character. Of course, that is the more likely possibility. But considering the regime change at the newly minted conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery and its departure from a focus on streaming, there is a chance that Elba might play an entirely different character, presumably as the franchise leverages The Multiverse or retcons his previous role.

In the hypothetical situation that Elba returns as Bloodsport, there are numerous possibilities how he can rejoin the DC Extended Universe. A spinoff show akin to the John Cena-starrer Peacemaker is one of the more obvious options, but considering the new project is most probably a movie, the character's arc is also profusely ripe for a film adaptation. Elba previously shared his desire for a Bloodsport vs Superman prequel movie, which is undoubtedly an intriguing prospect. But considering Henry Cavill's uncertain future as Superman, the idea may not sufficiently practical. That said, whatever project Elba and DC are collaborating on seems to be in the early stages, and the specifics will become clear once WBD details the reported 10-year plan for the DCEU.