Honestly, we are kind of fascinated by Shia LaBeouf, and there’s no denying that he’s a damn good actor when he’s on form. David Ayer’s WW2 tank film Fury was a great example of LaBeouf showing what he could do, so it’s perhaps not too surprising to learn that Ayer approached him to appear in Suicide Squad.
In a profile interview with Variety for Andrea Arnold’s acclaimed American Honey, LaBeouf revealed that he was up for the role that eventually went to Scott Eastwood, Rick Flagg’s buddy GQ. Remember GQ? He was in the film too. No, we can’t remember what he did either.
“The character was different initially,” LaBeouf says. “Then Will [Smith] came in, and the script changed a bit. That character and Tom [Hardy’s] character [Hardy would be replaced by Joel Kinnaman] got written down to build Will up.”
“I don’t think Warner Bros wanted me,” he continues. “I went in to meet, and they were like, ‘Nah, you’re crazy. You’re a good actor, but not this one.’ It was a big investment for them.”
It’s hard to imagine LaBeouf in the role, mostly because that role is hard to remember, but any piece of information gleaned about Suicide Squad‘s convoluted production is most welcome. Presumably it will be a few years before people involved are willing to really open up about the reshoots, the different cuts, the messy editing, the tonal changes and whatnot (and what the hell was going on with the visual effects?), and we’ll be ready to listen.
Regardless of what the reviews say (our one is here), the film has continued to rake in money, although, much like Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice, it’s not the home run that Warner Bros would have been hoping for. There haven’t been any announcements about any of those spin-offs that were being rumoured before its release (Harley Quinn, Joker and even Captain Boomerang movies were getting hyped), which is probably telling.
We should also note that Variety’s LaBeouf interview is definitely worth reading, as the actor talks about his struggles with alcohol, his years as a child actor, working with directors like Lars Von Trier, and his preparation for American Honey (which sounds amazing). He also notes the fact that an actress might not have been able to enjoy the same kind of career resuscitation, saying, “It’s a double standard, for sure. Women require grace for longevity. I don’t think men require grace. You can be Mickey Rourke.”
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