Suicide Squad 2 is about to begin filming - and it looks as though Jay Hernandez’s Diablo may well be returning.
Although Suicide Squad was heavily criticized for its choppy editing, most of the casting decisions were top-rate. The Squad somehow changed shape as the film progressed, with the villains gradually morphing into a family. Tragically, by the end of the film the family’s heart had been torn out; Diablo was forced to sacrifice himself to defeat the Incubus.
Joel Kinnaman (better known to Suicide Squad fans as Rick Flagg) has taken to social media, posting a workout photo to suggest that the sequel is about to start filming. Curiously, Jay Hernandez actually seems to be with them as well.
Brendan whipping us back into shape. Jay puked. #garagegym A post shared by Joel Kinnaman (@joelkinnaman) on Jan 18, 2018 at 3:37pm PST
Diablo’s death was one of the most powerful scenes in the film. He’d “already lost one family”, and the pyrokinetic resolved that he wouldn’t lose another one. As a result, he powered up to a phenomenal level, and began to slug it out with the Incubus. Even the powerful Diablo was overmatched, but he was able to manipulate the Incubus into standing over an explosive, sacrificially holding him in place until it was detonated.
It certainly seemed like a death scene, but Hernandez has insisted fans shouldn’t write Diablo out of the sequel. “Let’s just say he’s a metahuman,” Hernandez quipped. “What are you going to do? There are possibilities there.” Given Diablo’s fire-based powerset, the fact he apparently died in a blast of fire certainly gives Warner Bros. an out.
Of all the Squad, Diablo was the one who cared the most. Although he initially held back, the tortured pyrokinetic gradually opened up to the possibility of belonging to something once again. It was Diablo who really began to see Task Force X as more than just a team; he recognized them as his new family. His death would leave a gaping hole in Suicide Squad, making it very difficult for the film to recreate that sense of belonging. The reality is that Task Force X needs a man like Diablo to hold them together.
Right now, we only have one post on social media, so it’s too soon to say for certain that Diablo will return in Suicide Squad 2. At the same time, Hernandez is definitely in the workout photo with Joel Kinnaman and Jai Courtney, so he’s sure to play some kind of role.
MORE: Suicide Squad Concept Art Reveals New Looks for Harley, El Diablo & More
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