James Gunn reveals Idris Elba’s Bloodsport nearly killed Superman before The Suicide Squad

(Image credit: Warner Bros./DC)

The Suicide Squad director James Gunn has revealed more details about the backstory of Idris Elba’s Bloodsport and his run-in with Superman.

When asked whether Superman will have anything to do with The Suicide Squad on Twitter, Gunn replied: “Bloodsport is in prison for taking him down with a kryptonite bullet. If you believe these covers, he may not be the bad guy in that situation.”

As a follow-up, one Twitter user questioned Supes’ fate, which Gunn was happy to clear up, saying, “He put him in the ICU but he failed to kill him.”

Superman being seriously wounded by Bloodsport has caused a backlash among a vocal minority of DC fans, with one user questioning why "Superman can be as fast as The Flash… but can’t dodge a bullet?" Another said it was a case of "logic out the window."

For many, it can be seen as a case of legitimizing Bloodsport. We already knew, thanks to DC’s FanDome panel on The Suicide Squad last August, that Idris Elba’s marksman shot Superman with a kryptonite bullet but, until now, we had no clue how close he came to actually killing him.

Bloodsport, among others, may not be long for this world, however. During an Instagram Q&A, the director answered a question about how many of his characters – which include Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Sylvester Stallone’s King Shark among its contingent – would die. His answer? “Almost all of them.”

At least it’s not the end for one member of The Suicide Squad. James Gunn is currently producing a Peacemaker series starring John Cena. The prequel, which is due to air on HBO Max, began filming in November 2020.

The Suicide Squad is set for release simultaneously on HBO Max and in theaters on August 6.

Need to catch up on what DC has in the pipeline? Here’s the complete list of all the new superhero movies currently in the works, from The Suicide Squad, to The Batman, and beyond. Plus, if you’re in need of a new television for the HBO Max release, check out all Prime Day TV deals currently available before the big day.

TOPICS
CATEGORIES
Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.

Read more
Superman and Lois Lane in Superman
Will Superman save the day? James Gunn's upcoming DC movie will make or break the new DCU
Superman
James Gunn cryptically suggests that the DCU is building towards a Superman and Batman crossover
Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor in Superman
James Gunn explains how All-Star Superman influenced his reboot movie, especially Nicholas Hoult's "badass" Lex Luthor
David Corenswet as Superman
Superman trailer breakdown: from Metamorpho to Hawkgirl, all the DC Easter eggs and details we spotted
Lois Lan and Clark Kent in Superman
James Gunn explains how his Superman movie strikes a balance between Silver Age comic book aesthetics and modern storytelling
David Corenswet as Superman
Epic Superman trailer features a bloody and bruised Clark Kent, the first look at Lex Luthor, and introduces a whole bunch of heroes to James Gunn's DCU
Latest in Superhero Movies
The cast of Thunderbolts
Marvel fans are revealing who they'd like to see added to the Thunderbolts lineup, from Moon Knight to a major Hulk villain
Batman and Catwoman talking
Robert Pattinson is hoping to team up with his The Batman co-star Zoe Kravitz on another project soon
The cast of Thunderbolts
Thunderbolts director says the new Marvel movie is inspired by Toy Story 3: "Can they get out of the trash can together?"
Robert Downey Jr announces his Doctor Doom casting at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
"He is so dialed in": Robert Downey Jr. is coming up with backstory and costume ideas for Doctor Doom ahead of Avengers: Doomsday
Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne in The Batman
Robert Pattinson worries he will be a "f*cking old Batman" by the time filming on The Batman 2 finally starts
Lewis Pullman as "Bob" in Thunderbolts
The first look at Thunderbolts' Sentry suit seemingly leaked in new Marvel merchandise
Latest in News
Rise of the Ronin's photo mode offers some wonderful shots
On the heels of Rise of the Ronin's PC launch, its director says there's a "significant" amount of Japanese Switch gamers: "I am closely watching how this will change with the release of Switch 2"
Stardew Valley Castle Village mod
Stardew Valley Expanded creator is building an "even more ambitious" mod with a whole new city and "dungeons inspired by The Legend of Zelda"
Dino Crisis 2 art showing a young woman and man back-to-back amid tall green grass, both with their weapons drawn
Dino Crisis gets a fresh trademark filing by Capcom, but it might not mean the 26-year-old survival horror franchise will get a new installment like fans expect
Cujo
Netflix is making a brand new adaptation of Cujo, the infamous Stephen King book about a killer dog
Dragon Age 2
Veteran Dragon Age dev says one big delay is better than several small ones: "You are laying band-aid on top of band-aid on top of band-aid"
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
Dark Souls 2 fans remind Death Stranding 2 director Hideo Kojima that he won’t be taking the DS2 acronym that easily