The Suicide Squad Cast, Character & DC Cameo Guide

Warning: Minor SPOILERS for The Suicide Squad.

The Suicide Squad cast is chock-full of acclaimed actors and actresses, some of whom appeared in the first Suicide Squad movie from 2016. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is not necessarily a sequel or reboot, though it does retain continuity with the original film. Given that it drops viewers into the action in the first few minutes, setting the stage for another mission for Task Force X, there was little space nor need to establish how it fits into the DCEU timeline.

Easily one of the best things about the Suicide Squad comics (and now the movies) is that there’s always room for new characters. The simple premise that villains are used to execute deadly missions that don’t require the Justice League’s attention makes them expendable. If they die, Amanda Waller, A.R.G.U.S., and the warden of Belle Reve don’t really care. They can add someone else into the mix for the next mission. And if a villain goes off course, they get their heads blown off by Waller and her team. After all, these people are the “worst of the worst,” according to her.

Gunn’s The Suicide Squad takes advantage of this setup by introducing several new characters onto Task Force X, though the film does bring back some familiar faces. Unfortunately, one person that fans wanted to see return who isn’t in the movie is Will Smith’s Deadshot. However, his Suicide Squad partner, Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie, is certainly back for a good majority of The Suicide Squad. And given how things play out, some characters can certainly return in Suicide Squad 3 or a spinoff project.

Idris Elba as Bloodsport

Robert DuBois aka Bloodsport is an expert marksman who uses a heavily modifiable gun that’s attached to him via biometrics. He was convicted and sentenced to Belle Reve after he shot Superman with a kryptonite bullet, and he joins Amanda Waller’s Task Force X in order to protect his estranged daughter, Tyla, whom Waller had threatened to send to prison. Idris Elba is known worldwide for his role as Heimdall in the MCU as well as starring in TV shows Luther and The Wire. He’s also appeared in a handful of other major films, like American Gangster and Prometheus.

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn is a former psychiatrist who turned into a supervillain. She was an original member of Task Force X in the DCEU and is back on the team when they go to Corto Maltese. Margot Robbie achieved worldwide recognition for her role in The Wolf of Wall Street and again in the first Suicide Squad movie. Since then, she’s won two Academy Awards for films I, Tonya and Bombshell, and has appeared in numerous other acclaimed projects such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. She’s now starred as Harley Quinn three times.

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag

Rick Flag is the leader of Task Force X and the only member of the team who isn’t a villain. He returns after appearing in the first Suicide Squad film. Joel Kinnaman originally starred in Swedish films but gained recognition in the U.S. for playing Detective Stephen Holder in The Killing and Alex Murphy in the RoboCop remake. Suicide Squad helped put him on the map, which Altered Carbon then solidified a year after the original film released. He now stars in Apple TV+’s For All Mankind.

John Cena as Peacemaker

Christopher Smith is a supervillain known as Peacemaker because he will quite literally do anything to ensure peace, even if that means killing children. John Cena is widely known for being a professional wrestler, but over the past few years, he’s gotten bigger and bigger roles in Hollywood, even appearing in blockbuster movies such as Bumblebee and F9: The Fast Saga, along with several comedy roles. His role in the DCEU is only just beginning as he’s scheduled to reprise his role in a Peacemaker spinoff series in January 2022.

Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2

Cleo Cazo is the second character to carry the Ratcatcher title, with her father being the first. She controls speaks to and controls rats using a device, something her father taught her to utilize. Daniela Melchior is a Portuguese actress who’s appeared in numerous TV series over the years, such as Ouro Verde and Valor da Vida, though The Suicide Squad marks her first major role in Hollywood. As one of the film’s breakout stars, it’s safe to assume that she may appear in more English-language Hollywood productions in the future.

David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man

The Suicide Squad marks David Dastmalchian return to DC films after initially appearing as a villain in The Dark Knight and then later starring in Ant-Man and Ant-Man and the Wasp as Kurt. He’s also made a name for himself starring on TV in shows like MacGyver and The Flash. He’ll soon appear in the Dune remake as Piter De Vries, marking his third collaboration with director Denis Villeneuve.

Sylvester Stallone as King Shark

Nanaue aka King Shark is Hawaiian and the son of the Shark God. He’s often appeared as an Aquaman villain in the comics, though he’s also been a notable member of Task Force X. Steve Agee portrayed King Shark on the set of The Suicide Squad but Sylvester Stallone provided his voice for the character. Stallone is an acclaimed writer, director, and actor, who make a name for himself creating the Rocky franchise, and then later starring in films like Rambo and Demolition Man. Recently, he’s created the series The Expendables and Escape Plan, and also previously worked with James Gunn on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, in which he portrayed Stakar Ogord aka Starhawk.

Viola Davis as Amanda Waller

Amanda Waller is the devious leader of A.R.G.U.S. and the mastermind behind Task Force X who recruits each member and decides which missions they go on. Viola Davis is an acclaimed actress who’s achieved the Triple Crown of Acting – winning an Academy Award, Tony Award, and Emmy Award. She’s appeared in films like The Help, Fences, Widows, and recently, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. She also led the ABC series How to Get Away With Murder for six seasons. Although she doesn’t have much screen time as Amanda Waller, her performance is often hailed as being the best of the original film.

Peter Capaldi as The Thinker

Gaius Grieves aka The Thinker is one of the most intelligence characters in DC Comics and, presumably, the DCEU. He was hired by the U.S. and Corto Maltese governments to study Starro for decades, trying to uncover the mysteries behind the alien starfish. Peter Capaldi is widely known for playing the 12th Doctor on Doctor Who, but before that, he starred as Malcolm Tucker on The Think of It throughout the 2000s. He’s also appeared in films like World War Z and The Fifth Estate.

Other Task Force X Characters In The Suicide Squad

Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang: Captain Boomerang is one of the original members of Task Force X and an adversary of Flash in the DCEU. Jai Courtney starred in multiple blockbuster films in the mid-2010s, such as A Good Day to Die Hard, Divergent, and Terminator Genisys, ultimately appearing as Captain Boomerang in the first Suicide Squad movie. He also had a recurring role in Spartacus: Blood & Sand.

Michael Rooker as Savant: Brian Durlin aka Savant is the first character to appear in The Suicide Squad and specializes in hand-to-hand combat. Michael Rooker starred in a quite a few iconic movies in the 1980s and 1990s, such as Sea of Love, Days of Thunder, and Cliffhanger, but then achieved a new level of fame by playing Merle Dixon on The Walking Dead and Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, the latter of which was helmed by James Gunn.

Pete Davidson as Blackguard: Richard Hertz aka Blackguard is a mercenary and the person who betrays Task Force X in The Suicide Squad. Pete Davidson is noted for being an SNL cast member, though he recently starred in the film The King of Staten Island.

Sean Gunn as Weasel & Calendar Man: Weasel is a weasel-like character who apparently dies at the start of the mission on Corto Maltese, but Sean Gunn also stars as the supervillain Calendar Man, who cameos in Belle Reve. Sean Gunn often stars in eccentric roles, many times requiring the use of mo-cap, in his brother James Gunn’s films. Gunn can also be widely recognized for his series regular role as Kirk Gleason in Gilmore Girls.

Flula Borg as Javelin: Javelin is a former Olympian who uses a javelin in battle. Flula Borg is a comedian who’s worked with several talk show hosts and YouTubers over the years, though he’s often starred in comedy films like Pitch Perfect 2 and Killing Hasselhoff.

Mayling Ng as Mongal: Mongal is an alien supervillain and a Superman-level threat in DC Comics. Mayling Ng is a relatively new actress who’s appeared in recent movies like Acceleration and Debt Collectors, though The Suicide Squad marks her biggest project yet.

Nathan Fillion as T.D.K.: Cory Pitzner aka T.D.K. is known as Arm-Fall-Off-Boy in DC Comics, a character who can detach his arms and fight with them from a distance. Nathan Fillion achieved recognition for leading the short-lived series Firefly, but later returned to TV as Richard Castle in Castle, a role that he played for eight seasons. Now he stars in The Rookie as John Nolan.

The Suicide Squad Supporting Cast & Cameos

Taika Waititi as Ratcatcher 1: Appearing in a cameo role is the first Ratcatcher, Cleo Cazo’s father who could speak to and control rats. Taika Waititi is widely known for writing and directing films such as Thor: Ragnarok, Jojo Rabbit, and What We Do In The Shadows, though he’s also an actor who’s appeared in the aforementioned three movies.

Pom Klementieff as a Dancer: Pom Klementieff appears as a dancer in the bar in which Task Force X retrieves The Thinker. Klementieff is primarily known for starring as Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, first appearing in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

Dee Bradley Baker as Sebastian: Sebastian is Ratcatcher 2’s pet rat. Dee Bradley Baker is a world-renown voice actor who’s voiced several characters in the Star Wars franchise, across most animated series.

Alice Braga as Sol Soria: Sol Soria is the leader of the Corto Maltese resistance force that opposes the military coup on the island. Alice Braga’s most prominent role has been leading the TV series Queen of the South as Teresa Mendoza, though many viewers may recognize her from movies such as I Am Legend, Elysium, and most recently, The New Mutants.

Juan Diego Botto as Silvio Luna: Silvio Luna is the dictator of Corto Maltese, the person who plots to overthrow the island’s reigning family and tries to woo Harley Quinn. Juan Diego Botto hasn’t appeared in many English-language movies or TV shows, though he did carry a recurring role on TNT’s Good Behavior as the hitman Javier.

Joaquín Cosío as Mateo Suarez: Following Silvio Luna’s death, Major General Mateo Suarez seizes control of the Corto Maltese government. Joaquín Cosío has led a prolific career starring in Mexican films, though The Suicide Squad viewers may recognize him from his roles in Quantum of Solace, The Lone Ranger, and Rambo: Last Blood.

Julio Ruiz as Milton: Milton is one of Task Force X’s contacts on Corto Maltese and he stays with them until he meets his untimely demise in Jotunheim. Julio Ruiz has appeared in TV series such as Preacher and SWAT, but The Suicide Squad is his biggest role yet.

John Ostrander as Dr. Fitzgibbon: Dr. Fitzgibbon works with A.R.G.U.S. at Belle Reve. John Ostrander is an acclaimed comic book writer who created the modern incarnation of Suicide Squad for DC Comics.

Steve Agee as John Economos: John Economos is the warden of Belle Reve prison. Steve Agee can be recognized from his recurring roles on TV shows like New Girl, You’re the Worst, and American Princess. He also played the pre-CGI version of King Shark on the set of The Suicide Squad.

Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt: Emilia Harcourt is one of Amanda Waller’s top aides at A.R.G.U.S. and she appears after the film in The Suicide Squad‘s post-credits scene. Jennifer Holland appeared in 2019’s Brightburn but is perhaps most recognizable for her role as Becky Phillips in Sun Records. Holland will reprise her role as Harcourt in the upcoming spinoff series Peacemaker.

Storm Reid as Tyla: Tyla is Robert DuBois’ daughter who Amanda Waller uses as leverage to secure Bloodsport as one of Task Force X’s team leaders. Storm Reid is an up-and-coming actress who’s known for films such as A Wrinkle in Time and Don’t Let Go, as well as the miniseries When They See Us.

Lloyd Kaufman as Unnamed: Lloyd Kaufman is the co-founder of Troma Entertainment, the company that gave James Gunn his early rise in Hollywood and he appears as a dancer behind John Cena in the bar scene.

About The Author

Mansoor Mithaiwala
(1885 Articles Published)

Mansoor Mithaiwala is Screen Rant’s TV Lead Editor. He originally joined the site as a freelance writer on the Lists team before moving over to News and Features, eventually becoming an editor in 2018. Over time he’s done quite a few different things, including helping launch gaming on the site, often handling news, features, and guides simultaneously. Now he sticks primarily to movies and TV, and spends way too much time looking at analytics. It sure seems like he’s put his Political Science degree to good use, huh?

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