The future of Task Force X is uncertain after The Suicide Squad, but there are a number of potential DCEU spinoff movies and shows the film sets up. Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad is the second attempt at launching a franchise based on the titular team, though it remains to be seen just how successful it is at doing so. The Suicide Squad has received positive reviews, but its opening weekend at the box office was somewhat disappointing (bringing in just $26.5 million domestically).
If there is a future for the franchise, then Gunn leaves plenty of possible directions for it to go in. The Suicide Squad features a lot of character deaths, most of which occur in the opening sequence as a distraction, but it also crucially leaves several main players alive by the end. Bloodsport (Idris Elba) demands freedom for himself and his remaining teammates, which includes Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie, and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), all of whom could return in some capacity.
Given Gunn's sequel delivers on the promise of the team, making the kind of movie many hoped to see with 2016's Suicide Squad, it would be a shame if Task Force X was shut down for good. Thankfully, the future is already somewhat secure, with one spinoff confirmed to be happening. But following in from The Suicide Squad's ending, there's room for a lot more to come.
As it stands, the only confirmed spinoff from The Suicide Squad is Peacemaker, which will bring back John Cena's Christopher Smith for another outing. The HBO Max TV show has once again been written and directed by James Gunn, who filmed it during the COVID-19 pandemic during a break from The Suicide Squad. Peacemaker will explore the origins of the character, which are tellingly left unrevealed in the movie itself, but also continue his story forward as well. The Suicide Squad's post-credits scene revealed that Peacemaker is not only miraculous still alive, but is needed to save the world, suggesting that he will be heading up his own team in the TV show. He's very much set up as the kind of by-any-means-necessary leader that Rick Flag wasn't, and it's easy to see that being taken even further in his show.
Task Force X is essentially over come the end of The Suicide Squad, with Bloodsport et al freed from Waller's clutches and allowed to go their own way. However, the movie does confirm that Amanda Waller is still very much in charge at Belle Reve (the post-credits suggests she is behind using Peacemaker again), and Task Force X is a program she clearly loves utilizing. It makes sense, since it tends to get results, and worst-case scenario Waller gets rid of some of her more problematic inmates. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see some familiar faces ending up back on Task Force X - after all, it happened with both Harley and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) despite their escapes - but part of the appeal of the Suicide Squad is its ability to refresh its roster, and there's no shortage of possible inmates Waller could call upon. Gunn has said Suicide Squad 3 is definitely possible, and while the box office may harm its chances, it remains an IP that WB is clearly invested in.
Theoretically, Bloodsport's story could continue in a more direct spinoff of The Suicide Squad, following on from the ending and his newfound freedom, perhaps setting up more adventures with Ratcatcher 2 and/or a reunion with his daughter. But the most intriguing aspect of his character's backstory in The Suicide Squad is the brief note that he's in Belle Reve for putting Superman in the ICU with a Kryptonite bullet. The Man of Steel's DCEU future is very much up in the air as things stand, but that's the kind of tease just asking to be built upon. Given how great Elba is in the role and how much fun a Bloodsport vs. Superman movie could be, then it's great setup for a possible spinoff. It's definitely a long shot, but Elba himself wants a Bloodsport/Superman prequel, so it is being talked about - even if it's just by the actor for now.
The best character in The Suicide Squad is Cleo Cazo, aka Ratcatcher 2. While she is initially depicted as one of the movie's stranger characters, and with an ability that's less obviously useful, Ratcatcher 2 proves herself to be crucial to Task Force X's victory. More importantly, though, is that she is absolutely the heart of the movie; she's the most likable character, the best person among Task Force X, and has the most compelling and emotional backstory. A TV spinoff that focuses on what comes next for Ratcatcher 2 as she operates as a hero or vigilante and finds herself a clearer place in the world could offer up a great mix of humor, action, and character-driven drama, with her trusty rat sidekick Sebastian along for the ride too, of course. There's no sign of a Ratcatcher 2 spinoff just yet, but given the reception to the character it ought to be a possibility.
Harley Quinn shines yet again in her third DCEU outing, with Robbie once more proving she is pitch perfect for the role. Harley isn't the focus of The Suicide Squad, but it does carry on her character arc from Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Free from the Joker, with a newfound sense of self and agency, she ends the movie with her future yet again wide open, similar to the ending of Birds of Prey. That would suggest, then, that Harley will return for a fourth movie at some point, whether that's a long-mooted Harley Quinn solo movie, or a direct sequel to Birds of Prey. Box office may be a factor (Birds of Prey wasn't a success), but she is one of DC's biggest characters, and Robbie is ready to play Harley Quinn again. A reunion with the Birds would be a natural direction following on from The Suicide Squad, but the character is interesting enough that she can lead her own movie and get into no end of weird situations.
Right after The Suicide Squad ends, it's surprisingly confirmed in the credits scene that Weasel is somehow still alive, and has been left alone on the beach in Corto Maltese. It isn't clear how he survived, and it's even less clear whether or not he'll return. Technically, Weasel's survival means that one member of Task Force X is still alive, and since his tracker would presumably be active then Waller could bring him back into the fold. It is, of course, highly unlikely that Weasel would get his own spinoff - as fun as he is, there's a limited amount to do with a walking weasel who shows little signs of being able to communicate with others, or much intelligence at all really - but he could return in another spinoff. The reveal he's alive is mostly played for laughs, but a part in the Peacemaker TV show is a possibility, or he could appear in Suicide Squad 3's story.
Nanaue, aka King Shark, is another of The Suicide Squad's breakout characters, at once sweet, dumb, and loveable, and yet also capable of eating several people without pausing for breath. King Shark may not be The Suicide Squad's best character, but he is certainly its most memed and the one that has gained the largest following online. With such popularity, then WB would be remiss not to bring King Shark back in some way. Is the character capable of carrying his own HBO Max spinoff show? It would be a challenge, but with the right writer there could be a fun, violent, shark-out-of-water potential to it. Perhaps more likely, though, is that King Shark returns in another project. He'd work well as comic relief in a movie or show alongside any of the other surviving Task Force X characters, he's a reasonable candidate to be arrested again and put back into action by Waller, or he could appear in the future of a character like Aquaman, who he's faced off with many times in DC Comics. However it happens, King Shark will surely return.
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