“That was just one of those happy accidents”: James Gunn’s Stunning Opening Sequence in $167 Million DCU Movie Was an Accident
James Gunn has established his name in the superhero film industry and has a particular gift for creating compelling superhero movies. Gunn transferred from Marvel to DC in 2022. As co-CEO, he and Peter Safran assumed control. They were frank about what they intended. By introducing diversity and reality, they hoped to give the DC Universe a fresh perspective.
Before taking control of the DCU, the filmmaker has helmed many superhero movies like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Suicide Squad. The DCU film based on the DC Comics supervillain/anti-hero team of the same name was loved by fans. Suicide Squad followed a secret government agency recruiting some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. The team’s first mission is to save the world from the apocalypse. While the film was a success at the box office, the stunning opening sequence in James Gunn’s movie happened due to an accident.
A Happy Accident on James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad Set
James Gunn has established his name in the superhero film industry and has a particular gift for creating compelling superhero films. One of those includes Suicide Squad. The 2016 film was a monetary success at the box office and collected $745 million worldwide, which encouraged him to make a second part that came out in 2021 and grossed $167 million. Surprisingly, the stunning opening shot in The Suicide Squad happened due to an accident.
The opening of the 2021 DC movie shows Michael Rooker as Savant in what appears to be a filtered picture, but as the camera lifts and spins, we realize that our initial glimpse of the character was really through the reflection in a muddy puddle.
Production designer Beth Mickle, who worked with Gunn multiple times – on films including The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, recalled the day on the set of the 2021 film when the crew was preparing for the film’s opening scene and how all the arrangements that had been made, were rejected when a better idea popped up. Mickle said,
“We map out everything, we always know what our shots are gonna be going into these films, especially with James [Gunn]. But we’d done a wet down, and there was a great reflection in the ground… Michael Rooker with the long white hair wig and he’s bouncing a ball. We had done a wet down, and we saw a great reflection and suddenly we’re like, ‘Wait, we can go from the reflection up to his face, do the spin around?'”
The filmmaker added,
“That was just one of those happy accidents where you see something and you pivot. It wouldn’t have happened if you weren’t just hosing down a floor.”
A simple puddle led to the generation of a great opening scene that happened with James Gunn’s 2021 film.
More About James Gunn’s Film The Suicide Squad
The James Gunn–directed film The Suicide Squad, which came out in 2012 served as a stand-alone sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad. The Suicide Squad is a dubious team with a penchant for taking on extremely perilous missions for the American government. They handle danger and death as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. This film not only had humor, but it also took a chance by mixing loud laughter with harsh realism and serious issues.
Despite not exactly impressing reviewers upon its 2016 debut, David Ayer’s Suicide Squad nonetheless managed to earn nearly $746 million worldwide. Gunn was given the duty to direct the second film which grossed even less around $167 worldwide. The film followed Amanda Waller dispatching Task Force X on a mission to the fictional island of Corto Maltese.
James Gunn’s directed film had a stellar cast like Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman, Sylvester Stallone, Viola Davis, David Dastmalchian, Daniela Melchior, Michael Rooker, Jai Courtney, Peter Capaldi, Alice Braga, and Pete Davidson.
The Suicide Squad is available to stream on Max.
Source: Cinema Blend
