While the Suicide Squad may not be in the DC Universe’s plans right now, another team will fill the void they leave. As things look forward to the impending reboot of the DCEU and the start of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s reorganized DC Universe, there’s one thing missing on the horizon. Currently, there is no new Suicide Squad project on the slate, and unlike other potential DC Universe team-ups, Gunn’s plans aren’t setting them up just yet. Nevertheless, since The Suicide Squad brought Gunn into working with DC Studios, spinning it off with Peacemaker, it would be surprising if he’s not cooking up something for the team.
Amidst the darker tones the DCEU tried at times to shake off, Suicide Squad was a sector of the franchise that excelled despite the chaos chipping away at the surrounding foundations. In particular, the films and Peacemaker are defined by their gratuitous and clever use of violence, earning R- and TV-MA ratings, respectively. It makes sense, as Task Force X is not a team of heroes. Individually, they may develop heroic traits, but as a whole, they are simply the tools of Amanda Waller, whose interests are always in question. The DC Universe will certainly feel and operate differently without Task Force X in the mix initially.
The Authority Will Be DC's More Brutal Suicide Squad Replacement
The DC Universe is taking steps to distance itself from the DCEU’s tone and narrative, and that could mean they miss out on what the Suicide Squad brings to expand the franchise’s scope. Their brutality and sanctity for life, or rather lack thereof, is what makes them such an important and captivating team to follow - best on display in The Suicide Squad when Bloodsport and Peacemaker compete over who killed the most at the revolutionaries’ camp. Fortunately, the DCU’s most unexpected property will help fill the void. The Authority has its own unique relationship with violence, morality, and justice which can cement them as the Suicide Squad’s tonal successor.
The Authority is currently slotted to follow Superman: Legacy, thus it will be one of the DCU’s earliest projects unless things are switched around - a bold endeavor for a team largely unknown to general audiences. Warren Ellis and Bryan Hitch first created The Authority for Wildstorm Comics in 1999, uniting a team of heroes from another, Stormwatch. Wildstorm was eventually absorbed by DC Comics, and the team was gradually incorporated into their continuity. Compared to the likes of the Suicide Squad or Justice Society, The Authority is relatively unknown, yet now the DC Universe remarkably includes The Authority. Significantly, it is currently Chapter 1’s presumptive team-up film.
The Authority won’t just replace the Suicide Squad but build on their brutality and intensity. While motivations naturally differ among their , overall, they are no-nonsense and take extreme approaches to ensure their perspective on justice and protecting the Earth. Gunn’s described them as generally good-meaning people, but ones that are willing to "take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments—basically, whatever they want to do to make the world better." (via DC.com) This means they make no qualms about killing people, even innocents, and will do anything to ensure their mission is completed - and they’re not doing it because of exploding chips forcibly implanted in their brains like the Suicide Squad.
The best comparisons for what audiences could expect from The Authority are The Boys and Invincible. Both establish violence and gore as essential to their story, style, and tone, and while the DCU will hopefully stylize it all to fit their overarching aesthetic, the same can surely be said for The Authority. Their brutality and reasoning behind it could put even the best moments of the Suicide Squad movies to shame. Intriguingly, however, there’s one thing that The Authority may struggle to replace. The Suicide Squad movies and Peacemaker are deeply comedic and playful, so it’s interesting to consider how The Authority may replicate that element.
The Authority Means The DC Universe Won't Need Task Force X
With The Authority in the mix, there might not be a need for a Suicide Squad project in Chapter 1 of the DC Universe, regardless of if it’s a reboot or Suicide Squad 3. In just looking at the plans, there are only two properties that could potentially set up Task Force X. Creature Commandos, the DCU’s first animated series, will feature Rick Flag Sr. - father of Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag Jr. - who has an extensive history leading the team. Furthermore, as Waller builds up Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, it could help lay significant groundwork for a new version of the Suicide Squad. Nevertheless, neither are guarantees.
Meanwhile, the inclusion of The Authority in DC’s plans is notable in comparison. Perhaps more than any other project in Chapter 1, The Authority can ensure that the DC Universe will operate and resonate differently from the DCEU. With ranging in powers and morality, the Authority will likely fit the mold as the franchise’s “anti-hero” team over the Suicide Squad. In fact, they can act as the inspiration for forming the DC Universe’s new Justice League, as Superman or Batman can see how they function and choose to work differently. This would create an exciting clash between the two teams further down the line.
The Authority can fulfill for the DCU what the Suicide Squad never could for the DCEU. Strangely enough, they were among the most reliable parts of the franchise, yet they were largely inconsequential to the larger narrative. Even while they are building a broad franchise, the Authority’s role in the DC Universe can be a lot more interconnected and impactful on the rest. There’s certainly a place for the Suicide Squad in the DC Universe's future, but for now, The Authority can dominate in its place.
