Gavin O’Connor Reportedly Fell Off ‘Suicide Squad 2’ Over ‘Birds of Prey’ Story Similarities

Variety’s Justin Kroll has provided an update on director Gavin O’Connor’s involvement with the Suicide Squad sequel and his exit over similarities with Birds of Prey.

Today, it was reported that Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn was in talks to write and potentially direct a Suicide Squad sequel for Warner Bros. and DC Films. While Gavin O’Connor was previously on board to direct the film and co-write the script with Todd Stashwick, the filmmaker’s story for the Suicide Squad 2 was reportedly similar to the Margot Robbie-produced Birds of Prey film. When the latter film officially moved forward ahead of Suicide Squad 2, a frustrated O’Connor “fell off” the project and opted to re-team with Batman actor Ben Affleck on The Has-Been.

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Details on the Birds of Prey plot are currently unknown, though the film will center around the titular team of female heroes and villains based on the DC Comics characters and concepts created by Jordan B. Gorfinkel and Chuck Dixon. Birds of Prey will also feature Batman villain Black Mask as the main antagonist of the film.

Directed by Cathy Yan from a script penned by Bumblebee writer Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya. Production on the project is expected to begin this January.

Birds of Prey will be released in theaters on February 7, 2020.