James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is in the unique position of being both a sequel to Suicide Squad, but also a soft-reboot that aims to take the franchise in a new direction. As a result, there has been quite a bit of speculation as to what the plot of the film will be and just how closely connected it really is to the overarching DC Cinematic Universe. Now that the official synopsis has arrived, it seems there may be some more details available for fans to chew on.

Up until now, the plot details for the film were fairly sparse, with the only real solid info being that it would have a large cast, feature Harley Quinn, and will be a rather bloody film. Whatever Gunn has in mind, clearly somebody at Warner Bros. is very on board, because the film already has a spin-off series in the works starring John Cena as Peacemaker on HBO Max.

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The film is also being made during an awkward transition period for the DC Cinematic Universe. While the company is still committed to bringing DC heroes to the silver screen, their first big story arc crashed and burned when Justice League flopped, leaving executives scrambling to decide what the best way forward is for the DC properties.

So, hopefully, The Suicide Squad will help get things back on track, and maybe answer some questions about what the DC timeline looks like and whether or not the other DC films are still important to keep in mind going forward. The official synopsis describes a plot somewhat similar to the first Suicide Squad, but with a few differences.

Per the official synopsis, this time our setting begins in Belle Reve, a brutal prison where the worst of the worst are kept under lock and key. It's awful enough that the inmates will try to leave under any circumstances, even signing up for Task Force X, a shady and dangerous group of fighters. The synopsis says some of the members include Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin, and Harley Quinn, all of whom embark on a mission to the dangerous island of Corto Maltese.

Not much else is given away, though, and with such a big roster, it's clear not everyone will survive to the final showdown. Whatever ends up happening, it seems that Gunn has some big plans, and hopefully it all pays off in a big way when the film finally hits theaters.

The Suicide Squad releases August 6, 2021.

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Source: Collider