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James Gunn Responds To Potential For Bloodsport Show Starring Idris Elba
Filmmaker and The Suicide Squad director James Gunn responds to a fan on social media regarding his interest in a Bloodsport show with actor Idris Elba reprising the titular role. Gunn made his official DCEU debut in 2021 with The Suicide Squad and quickly followed up with the spin-off series Peacemaker, which was released on HBO Max earlier this year. Gunn wrote and directed both DCEU projects, which were huge critical successes and quickly became fan favorites. While Gunn is currently back in the MCU putting the final touches on Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3, he is expected to return as director and writer for Peacemaker season 2.
Like Gunn, Elba has been involved in both the DCEU and MCU, having previously starred as Heimdall in the Thor stand-alone films, Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and Avengers: Infinity War. Elba was originally cast on The Suicide Squad as a replacement for Will Smith's Deadshot, who was in David Ayer's 2016 Suicide Squad, but Gunn changed Elba's role to Bloodsport to keep the door open for Smith in the future. This ultimately worked better stylistically for Gunn's movie, which featured Elba's Bloodshot working alongside other lesser-known DC characters such as Peacemaker, King Shark, Polka-Dot Man, and Ratcatcher II. Rumors surrounding a Bloodsport spin-off featuring Elba were debunked by Gunn last year and Warner Bros./DC has yet to officially greenlight a Suicide Squad threequel. However, a recent tweet from Gunn might offer fans some clarification.
Gunn recently engaged in a Twitter thread regarding a potential Thor cameo in Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3, which he put to rest. The user who started the thread then followed up with a question regarding the director's interest in reuniting with Elba for a Bloodsport spin-off series. Gunn responded by stating that he was open to working with Elba on Bloodsport or other projects but suggested that time constraints and other commitments were keeping him from pursuing the project. Read his full post below:
With post-production work underway on Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3, The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special, and Peacemaker season 2 in the early stages of development, there is no doubt that Gunn's schedule is packed. The filmmaker is also producing other Warner Bros. projects such as the upcoming live-action/animated film Coyote Vs. Acme, which he also co-wrote, and a Suicide Squad/Peacemaker spin-off centered on Amanda Waller starring Viola Davis. While it would be tricky to squeeze a Bloodsport spin-off into Gunn's current schedule, the director at the very least seems open to the possibility. Furthermore the filmmaker's relationship with Warner Bros. has proven to be mutually beneficial and the studio clearly values his contributions to the DCEU.
While WB has not given any indication of plans for a Bloodsport spin-off, the studio is clearly interested in expanding the Suicide Squad segment of the DCEU. And with Gunn prepping Peacemaker season 2, producing the Waller spin-off and, allegedly, other Suicide Squad spin-offs, it is safe to assume that a Bloodsport series would be up for consideration. Elba's future involvement in the DCEU is somewhat unclear, but given the actor's positive relationship with Gunn, it is likely that he would be open to reprising the role of Bloodsport in a potential series or sequel to The Suicide Squad. It may be some time before a Bloodsport series is greenlit by WB, but it remains a strong possibility, especially with Gunn involved.
