L-R – Dastmalchian, Cena, Elba, Melchior/Warner Bros. Pictures/HBO Max(LOS ANGELES) — The anticipated trailer for James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad has just debuted; and appropriately, the R-rated “red band” trailer is set to Steely Dan’s “Dirty Work.” 

The follow-up/reboot to 2016’s Suicide Squad features some returning characters from the original, such as Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Viola Davis’ steely fed Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag and Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. 

However, the new trailer also features the new members of the anti-hero team, including Idris Elba’s Bloodsport, Pete Davidson’s Blackguard, and John Cena’s ironically named ultra-violent hero Peacemaker.

The snippet sets up a rescue mission, in which the gang, casually dressed — either undercover or before they get their superhero gear — sets up to rescue Quinn. 

Except she’s already escaped.

Still, the gesture moves her. “You were gonna save me?” she says, her voice quavering. 

Apart from some naughty language, the snippet features loads of action, as well as appearances from new team members including David Dastmalchian’s Polka-Dot Man, Daniela Melchior’s rodent-controlling Ratcatcher II, Guardians of the Galaxy vet Michael Rooker as the brilliant computer hacker Savant, Peter Capaldi as the criminal mastermind The Thinker, and of course the shark-headed baddie King Shark, which was motion-captured by Steve Agee, but apparently voiced by another returning Guardians player, Slyvester Stallone. 

And if a man-shark and Sean Gunn’s human-sized weasel named Weasel wasn’t enough for you, there’s apparently a giant killer starfish they have to contend with. 

The Suicide Squad hits theaters and HBO Max on August 6, 2021. 

(Video contains uncensored profanity.)

By Stephen Iervolino
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