Deadshot In-Depth: The Scoop on Will Smith’s ‘Suicide Squad’ Character

Yesterday, fans of DC Comics’ Suicide Squad learned which actors will take on the roles of infamous characters such as Deadshot, who we now know will be played by Will Smith in the live-action adaptation of the comic series. Since the Inquisitr reported on the outstanding ensemble cast that will give life to the DC supervillains in the impending Suicide Squad movie, the web has been buzzing over the star power lined up for the project.

More specifically, those who may not be as familiar with the DC universe have begun to dig into characters such as Deadshot, who is arguably a lesser known figure when compared to more universally-known menaces such as the Joker–who will be played by Jared Leto–and his ever-loyal and long-suffering love interest Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie.

When it comes to the Suicide Squad’s band of baddies paying their debt to society by going on dangerous missions for the government, Deadshot is the alias of a man named Floyd Lawton. According to USA Today, Deadshot–an villain that has been around since 1950 and has given Batman a hard time in the past–lives up to his name: his aim with a gun has deadly accuracy. Scratch that: the DC Comics Database bills him as the “world’s greatest marksman.” Apparently, he also has something of a death wish.

On the other hand, Deadshot also has strong fatherly instincts, with a deep love for his daughter Zoe. That sounds a lot like Will Smith, if you think about it, with his long-standing reputation for being a great dad.

One other interesting note about Deadshot: rumor has it he once made some moves on Harley Quinn. Could we potentially see Will Smith cross paths with a jealous Jared Leto Joker?

Geektyrant had previously reported that Jai Courtney–who will play John Connor in the upcoming Terminator: Genisys–was in talks to take on the Deadshot role. At the time, it was suspected that Will Smith would be tapped to play Boomerang, a long-time nemesis of the Flash. Obviously, that casting scenario didn’t play out as initially suspected, as the roles were effectively reversed for the two actors. The switch makes sense, since the Boomerang character in the comics is from Australia, and Courtney is a real-life Aussie.

Are you a DC Comics fan, and are you familiar with the back story of the Suicide Squad? If so, do you think Will Smith is a good casting choice for Deadshot?