‘Suicide Squad’ film update: Joker and Harley, the PG-13 rating, Jared Leto on set
Sold as the “Dirty Dozen with supervillains,” director David Ayer’s Suicide Squad centers around Jared Leto’s Joker and a gallery of crazed characters. Speaking to Collider, producer CharlesRoven talked about keeping the squad closer together.
“Look, you know, it was different, it was fun. The group first wasn’t sure because the AD’s had to call him ‘Mr. J’ to get him to come to the set [laughs]. And he did in many ways isolate himself from the rest of the group, but that’s really what his character was, the purpose of his character in many ways, other than when he was with Harley (Margot Robbie) or trying to get Harley.”
“It was very entertaining, it was fuel for a lot of good sport and a lot of laughs, and his isolation bonded the squad, and we wanted the squad bonded.”
Roven added, “I have to say, it was one of the most fun sets ever. I’ve been doing this for a while, and the camaraderie that was built on that set—everybody couldn’t wait for the next day to come back to work.”
Roven confirmed they’re aiming for a PG-13 despite some of the rumors.
“The intention of the film is definitely to be PG-13… We really want to make these films tonally consistent so that, as I said because this is a shared universe, at least our current thinking—and again, we’re not dealing in absolutes because while this is business it’s also a creative endeavor, so you want to leave yourself open to changing your mind, doing something different, being inspired, that’s the whole process of filmmaking is you have to allow for inspiration as well as having a road map for what you’re gonna do. So our plan right now is to make all these films PG-13. In some cases, you know, right there on the edge of PG-13, but still PG-13.”
Ayer isn’t the type to shy away from disturbing or mature material, in fact, Suicide Squad will be the first PG-13 film he’s directed.
Fans can read the full interview at Collider.
The film also stars Will Smith, Jai Courtney, Cara Delevingne, Scott Eastwood, Viola Davis, Joel Kinnaman,Common, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Ike Barinholtz, Jay Hernandez, Adam Beach with Ben Affleck to appear as Batman (and/or) Bruce Wayne.
Suicide Squad opens in theaters on August 5, 2016.