One of the best DC films to come out in recent memory was James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. This rambunctious, blood-soaked action comedy introduced so many fun new characters to moviegoers, with arguably the coolest anti-hero being Idris Elba’s Bloodsport. Now, after a year since his debut, Elba wants to return to the role to fight Superman.
Elba told Variety while promoting his new movie Beast, “I would definitely like to tell the Superman story. There’s no doubt.” He would go even further saying, “Bloodsport versus Superman. It needs to happen.” Now, for anyone who hasn't seen Gunn’s film, Bloodsport was thrown in Belle Reve Penitentiary because the deadly assassin shot Superman with a Kryptonite bullet. Just hearing that in The Suicide Squad was cool enough for any lifelong DC fan, but this is a prison story that’s prime for the big screen treatment. For one, Bloodsport was such a complex character whose daddy issues, over competitiveness, themes of fatherhood, and fear of rats made him a relatively fun villain. Seeing him before his time with The Suicide Squad would be an interesting juxtaposition to his personal growth in that film.
However, then there’s the massive Superman element of that narrative. It’s no secret that the DCEU has been lacking in the Superman department lately, and that fans want Henry Cavill back as the iconic character. Actors like Dwayne Johnson aka Black Adam have been teasing Superman as recently as last month at SDCC, but who would be in the tights has always been tight-lipped. While there would be no cooler fight than Black Adam vs Superman, Bloodsport vs Superman would be a close second, especially given the assassin's unique combat suit that holds various hidden weapons.
The last time we saw Bloodsport, he was riding off into the sunset with his surviving squad members after blackmailing Amanda Waller and killing Starro the Conqueror. The anti-hero is a free man now, so the sky's the limit for Elba and the character. This potential project could be a straight-up prequel story or a narrative that weaves Bloodsport’s past and present together to better showcase how his showdown with Superman changed this assassin’s life. The DCEU is about to enact a ten-year plan with Peacemaker, another character Bloodsport infamously shot, returning for his second season next year. It will be interesting to see if Bloodsport is indeed a part of that plan, because Superman, no matter who’s in the cape, will be.
Whatever the case may be, it’s just great to hear Elba’s enthusiasm for this fan-favorite character. While we wait with bated breath to see if Cavill will return as Superman or if Bloodsport will have a future in the DCEU, you can stream The Suicide Squad on HBO Max now.