Director James Gunn has confirmed when his DC film The Suicide Squad takes place, and it’ll be after Birds of Prey. Gunn’s first foray into the DC Extended Universe is eagerly anticipated by fans, even though it’s still well over a year away. The tentative reboot/sequel to the 2016 Suicide Squad wrapped production back in February, and Gunn has been hard at work editing the film from home ever since. He’s kept just about every single plot detail close to the vest, save for the fact that fans should expect quite the body count. And considering the lengthiness of the cast list, that doesn’t seem all too surprising. The Suicide Squad stars, among others, Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, Joel Kinnaman, Taika Waititi, Nathan Fillion, John Cena, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, and Viola Davis.
Robbie’s involvement with the film is especially exciting for fans who have followed her DCEU journey, which began with Suicide Squad. Robbie once again played Harley Quinn in Birds of Prey, the Cathy Yan-directed film that arrived in theaters earlier this year. Birds of Prey confirmed the DCEU would still be operating as a shared universe, as evidenced by some references to Suicide Squad. As Birds of Prey saw Harley gain her independence from the Joker and venture out on her own, fans are excited to see what she will do next. Gunn previously promised Harley would go on “quite the journey” in The Suicide Squad.
Fans already expected The Suicide Squad would follow Birds of Prey, but now Gunn seems to have confirmed it. During a Q&A session on his Instagram, Gunn revealed The Suicide Squad “takes place in the year it comes out.” Since as of right now, The Suicide Squad is still set for an August 2021 release, it will take place in 2021. This would put the film after Birds of Prey within the DCEU timeline.
![The Suicide Squad Takes Place After The Events Of Birds Of Prey](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/The-Suicide-Squad-James-Gunn-setting.jpg)
Coronavirus concerns have led some to worry The Suicide Squad could be delayed, much like other major studio releases. However, it remains on track for the time being, though Gunn recently warned fans it might be a while before any promotional materials (like a trailer) are released. Fans have been eager for any kind of information regarding The Suicide Squad, and for the most part, Gunn has been willing to give them some teases about what to expect.
For those interested in the future of the DCEU, this will likely be seen as a positive. The next film in the franchise, Wonder Woman 1984, takes place in the past, and it’s unclear if Matt Reeves’ The Batman will actually be set within the same universe. Because of this, The Suicide Squad could be the next film to actually hint at exactly how connected the films of the DCEU intend to be going forward. Hopefully, The Suicide Squad won’t suffer any delays.
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