• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines

David Ayer wanted to cast Shia LaBeouf in Suicide Squad​, but Warner Bros. thought he was too crazy

September 6, 2016 by Gary Collinson

During an interview with Variety, Shia LaBeouf has revealed that his Fury director David Ayer hoped to cast him in Suicide Squad in the role of GQ Edwards (subsequently played by Scott Eastwood), only for Warner Bros. to veto the idea.

“The character was different initially,” states LaBeouf. “Then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit. That character and Tom [Hardy’s] character [later played by Joel Kinnaman] got written down to build Will up. I don’t think Warner Bros. wanted me. I went in to meet, and they were like, ‘Nah, you’re crazy. You’re a good actor, but not this one.’ It was a big investment for them.”

SEE ALSO: Suicide Squad overtakes Man of Steel at the worldwide box office

Would you have liked to see LaBeouf in Suicide Squad, and are there any other DC roles you think he’d be a good fit for? Let us know in the comments below…

It feels good to be bad…Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?

SEE ALSO: Follow all of our DC Extended Universe coverage here

Suicide Squad sees David Ayer (Fury) directing a cast that includes Will Smith (Focus) as Deadshot, Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) as The Joker, Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney (Terminator Genisys) as Captain Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman (RoboCop) as Rick Flag, Viola Davis (The Help) as Amanda Waller, Cara Delevingne (Paper Towns) as Enchantress, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Thor: The Dark World) as Killer Croc, Jay Hernandez (Hostel) as El Diablo, Adam Beach (Flags of Our Fathers) as Slipknot, Jim Parrack (Fury) as Johnny Frost, Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) as Batman, newcomer Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Common (Selma) as Monster T, Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project) as Captain Griggs and Scott Eastwood (The Longest Ride) as Lieutenant ‘GQ’ Edwards.

 

Originally published September 6, 2016. Updated October 24, 2022.

Filed Under: Gary Collinson, Movies, News Tagged With: David Ayer, DC, DC Extended Universe, Shia LaBeouf, Suicide Squad

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer who is the Editor-in-Chief of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature 'The Baby in the Basket' and suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

10 International Horror Movies You Need To See

The Bonkers Comedies of Andrew McCarthy

7 Kick-Ass Female-Led Action Movies

Ten Unmade Film Masterpieces

Forgotten Horror Movie Sequels You Never Need to See

The Essential Joe Dante Movies

10 Essential Action Movies from 2005

Great Movies That Are An Absolute Masterclass in Acting

Lifeforce: A Film Only Cannon Could Have Made

Rooting For The Villain

FLICKERING MYTH FILMS

 

Top Stories:

4K Ultra HD Review – Caught Stealing (2025)

More LEGO Star Wars Winter 2026 sets officially revealed

4K Ultra HD Review – Possession (1981)

Movie Review – Dust Bunny (2025)

LEGO Disney Winter 2026 sets officially unveiled

Movie Review – A Private Life (2025)

From Banned to Beloved: Video Nasties That Deserve Critical Re-evaluation

Movie Review – Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair

Blu-ray Review – Shawscope Vol. 4

The Essential Joel Edgerton Movies

FLICKERING MYTH FILMS

 

FEATURED POSTS:

10 Great Forgotten Movie Gems Worth Seeking Out

10 Must-See Boxing Movies That Pack a Punch

The Essential Gene Hackman Movies

Ten Underrated Action Movies That Deserve More Love

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles and Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines
  • About Flickering Myth
  • Write for Flickering Myth