James Gunn Claims He's 'Always Looking' For Ways to Bring This Old DC Character Back

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Polka-Dot Man, Peacemaker, Bloodsport, and Ratcatcher group in a jungle in The Suicide Squad

Superman writer-director and DC Studios co-head James Gunn gives a glimmer of hope for Idris Elba's return as Bloodsport in the DCU.

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Gunn discussed several key actors that he would like to bring back into the fold as part of the DCU. "I definitely am always looking for a place to put Bloodsport and figuring that out," Gunn said, referencing Idris Elba's hotshot mercenary from The Suicide Squad. "So we'll see what happens," Gunn added.

Created by the legendary John Byrne, Bloodsport first appeared in the pages of 1987's Superman #4. Born Robert DuBois, the future impossibly skilled assassin fled to Canada after being drafted into the Vietnamese War, during which time a grave personal tragedy sent his mental health spiraling. Eventually, DuBois was found by Lex Luthor, who decided to turn him into a personal killing machine in the form of Bloodsport. While the character has been reimagined several times over the years, Bloodsport has always remained a force of nature in his own right.

Idris Elba made his debut as Bloodsport in 2021's The Suicide Squad. Written and directed by Gunn, the film served as a follow-up to 2016's Suicide Squad and marked the return of fan-favorites like Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn and Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flagg. Despite receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, The Suicide Squad failed to recover its $185 million production budget at the box office. Fortunately, that hasn't meant the end of the story set forth in the film, with John Cena's Peacemaker taking the lead of his own series and continuing on with his very specific brand of brutal, frequently hilarious justice.

Who Else Does James Gunn Want to Bring Back to the DCU?

Harley Quinn smiles looking up at something while people point guns at her in Suicide Squad.

Apart from Idris Elba, James Gunn has also been open about his hopes of bringing Margot Robbie back as Harley Quinn in a future DCU project. Back in January, Gunn admitted that he hadn't "talked to Margot about Harley for a long time, but I'd love to work with her again as Harley or as someone else." Gunn went on to confirm that, even though Robbie isn't slated to return to the role anytime soon, "There are no plans for anyone else to play Harley" beyond Lady Gaga's appearance as the character in Joker: Folie á Deux or as she appears in the Harley Quinn animated series.