The Box Office

[Anthony W]

Yes. this is a bit surprising on a practical scale but the technical scale checks out on why it underperformed.

1. COVID is still a big deal

2. We can watch it on streaming

3. It's R rated and usually many r rated films and indie films will likely get affected more during this COVID crises.

These 3 factors combined, does not equate big box office.

The Will Smith curse? Once dude leaves your franchise it's game over. Men In Black, Independence Day and now Suicide Squad.

[Kirby101]

The Will Smith curse? Once dude leaves your franchise it's game over. Men In Black, Independence Day and now Suicide Squad.

Men in Black had was tired. Independence Day sequel was truly awful, and this would have been a big hit in normal times. No "curse" needed.

[luprki]

With covid+HBOMAX, Suicide Squad numbers are not surprising, but still underperformed.

[Anthony W]

Men in Black had was tired. Independence Day sequel was truly awful, and this would have been a big hit in normal times. No "curse" needed.

Okay, I'll be serious. It was decent. Just decent.

1. The first movie's soundtrack was better. I know what your thinking...Attachment 112337
But it's true! The selections are not only better but fit the mood better as well.

2. The first movie's lineup is better and more diverse.
The First Movie gave us
Deadshot
Flagg
El Diablo
Katana
Captain Boomerang
Killer Croc

Compare that to Gunn's lineup of...

Bloodsport: AKA Poorman's Deadshot, and somehow even that feels too kind. Elba is a great supporting actor but has no real star power (this is the guy everyone wants to be Bond!?) or charisma. Usually he is a good straight man, but he even failed that. Just a bad outing all around.
Harley:No drop in quality (Working off someone's blueprint is so much easier)
Flagg: No drop in quality (see previous)
Ratcatcher: Used rats (yawn) Sob story that makes no sense when you stop to think about it. You came to America with amazing technology....and you use it to rob banks? Now you are trying to elicit sympathy from the audience!?
Polkadot Man: this character worked.
Kingshark: You like Groot right? Because your enjoyment of this character is dependant on that.
Peacemaker: Good work Gunn best character

Enchantress vs Starro

Starro wins by virtue of not being a giant sky vortex/portal thing that pops up so frequently, but he isn't very impressive. Harley is able to pierce his eye by....wait for it....jumping at it with a spear?! I guess I shouldn't surprised. Gunn was the guy that killed Mon-Gal....in a helicopter crash

I know some Gunn stans are going to hate to hear this because this is his first movie back since past unpleasantness. I know DCEU fans will hate to hear this because they have a lot riding on this and they really want the DCEU to work before the superhero movie craze dies down. Sorry folks the first movie was better. That doesn't mean this movie was bad, just not as good as the first.

[numberthirty]

The Will Smith curse? Once dude leaves your franchise it's game over. Men In Black, Independence Day and now Suicide Squad.

Even Will Smith would tell you that it was Covid and not the lack of Will Smith...

[Anthony W]

Even Will Smith would tell you that it was Covid and not the lack of Will Smith...

That was taken into account, but it still underperformed. Covid has been taken into account for every release.

[chicago_bastard]

Men in Black had was tired. Independence Day sequel was truly awful, and this would have been a big hit in normal times. No "curse" needed.

Did you forgot the word "not" or do you really believe The Suicide Squad would have been a big hit in normal times?

Regarding the 180 million budget I doubt that the movie would have made profit even in pre-pandemic times. Has nothing to do with Will Smith of course, a sequel to a movie that was so badly received by almost everybody was never destined to be a big success.

[Username taken]

As much as people tend to "downplay" Will Smith, him being in the first Suicide Squad was a HUGE reason the first movie made that huge box office.

I remember folks making fun of him in Alaadin but that movie still cleared a billion. Smith's name still draws casual audiences to his films.

All this being said, SS2 would likely have done better than it did if it were released at a different time. I believe it has the highest opening for an R-rated during this pandemic period. And in several territories "vaccine passes" are starting to come into effect (because I noticed that SS2 global opening was a bit soft).

Although the movie got a B+ cinema score which isn't really great but it's not terrible. That kind of buttresses a point I made in the other thread that the movie isn't really for everybody and that in and of itself could have hampered it's box office prospects. SS2 is like a big budget Troma film and anyone that's seen a Troma film will know what I am talking about (some of them are on Youtube).

SS2 might not have made as much as the first one but it certainly would have done a lot better than the $26 million it did domestic.

[Kirby101]

Did you forgot the word "not" or do you really believe The Suicide Squad would have been a big hit in normal times?

Regarding the 180 million budget I doubt that the movie would have made profit even in pre-pandemic times. Has nothing to do with Will Smith of course, a sequel to a movie that was so badly received by almost everybody was never destined to be a big success.

I believe this movie would have been a big hit in normal times. The general audience reaction is people loved it. I did not like the first movie, but it made a ton of money, and this one was much better. I think the movie going audience would hear this and go see it.

[basbash99]

Okay, I'll be serious. It was decent. Just decent.

1. The first movie's soundtrack was better. I know what your thinking...Attachment 112337
But it's true! The selections are not only better but fit the mood better as well.

2. The first movie's lineup is better and more diverse.

Enchantress vs Starro

Starro wins by virtue of not being a giant sky vortex/portal thing that pops up so frequently, but he isn't very impressive. Harley is able to pierce his eye by....wait for it....jumping at it with a spear?! I guess I shouldn't surprised. Gunn was the guy that killed Mon-Gal....in a helicopter crash

I know some Gunn stans are going to hate to hear this because this is his first movie back since past unpleasantness. I know DCEU fans will hate to hear this because they have a lot riding on this and they really want the DCEU to work before the superhero movie craze dies down. Sorry folks the first movie was better. That doesn't mean this movie was bad, just not as good as the first.

I can't tell if this is serious. So the arguments for the first being better come down to 1. better soundstrack 2.lineup that, on paper, is more appealing to hardcore DC fans. i'm not going to touch the 'its a better film due to more popular songs!" argument, but as the 2nd point, what good is having that lineup if the characters are bland and unnteresting. What did they do with Killer Croc or Katana to make anyone care about them at all? By contrast, we got a decent amount of insight into the 5 new members of Gunn's squad, plus some additional character development for Flagg and Harley. Put another way, i think more people were rooting for Polka Dot Man to survive the movie than any of Ayer's crew besides Harley (and maybe Boomer).

Also, dude, its kind of weak to complain about Mon-Gal being killed in a helicopter crash when Ayer's movie features plane crash after plane crash after plane crash. At least some folks got killed in Gunn's crash as opposed to just walking away from them in Ayer's version.

Anyhow, personally thought the new version was great. I would've preferred a PG-13 version but in fairness at least Gunn really earned that R rating, unlike BoP. This makes the 2nd attempt by WB to go after the Deadpool crowd & money, and it seems to have failed both times, alas.

People keep pointing to COVID but i think its hard to get a sense for how much that impacts BO when you also have the factor of same day streaming release, which to my mind is more significant. My guess would be a lot of people who might go see this movie multiple times in theaters decided it would be more economical to subscribe to HBO max for a month... plus you have piracy (both in the ordinary sense and in terms of people just holding watch parties or sharing passwords). I think we'll have to wait for something like Shang-Chi that appears to be getting releases exclusively in theaters to really see how much COVID is affecting theatergoers decisions.

[Gaastra]

Ratcatcher: Used rats (yawn)

Ironic thing is from most of the reactions and videos and comments she is one of the most loved members in the film by everyone! Lot of people loved her in the film.

[Shimbo]

Ironic thing is from most of the reactions and videos and comments she is one of the most loved members in the film by everyone! Lot of people loved her in the film.

Yeah, she was great. "Would you eat your friends?" "Uhhhh...no?" "Then can we be your friends?" So fucking adorable.

And yeah, this movie is just better than the first one in every conceivable haha. That other mess of a film was butchered and pasted back together with scotch tape or some ****. Wish Katana could've come back for this one but maybe one day she'll pop up again...somewhere.

[Anthony W]

As much as people tend to "downplay" Will Smith, him being in the first Suicide Squad was a HUGE reason the first movie made that huge box office.

I remember folks making fun of him in Alaadin but that movie still cleared a billion. Smith's name still draws casual audiences to his films.

Thank you. I found it funny that...
1. People downplayed Smith's part in the first movies success
2. People thinking his absence wouldn't affect the sequel.
3. People going as far as not wanting him to return because they thought this movie was going to be a big hit and spawn a third film and Smith would come crawling back

[basbash99]

Thank you. I found it funny that...
1. People downplayed Smith's part in the first movies success
2. People thinking his absence wouldn't affect the sequel.
3. People going as far as not wanting him to return because they thought this movie was going to be a big hit and spawn a third film and Smith would come crawling back

Yeah while i think Idris is great, i just don't think he is the hox office draw that Smith is. What hit movies has he headlined? Feels like his biggest successes have been on the small screen with The Wire and Luthor, but i could be wrong. Meanwhile iirc Bad Boys 3 made like 400 million dollars.

[inisideguy]

I just personally think trying to say a movie would have done well or not well in this environment is an exercise in futility. There is a worldwide pandemic. Any of the regular box office arguments just done apply.