Let's not get this wrong. Talk of James Gunn's sequel, Suicide Squad 2, is not exactly heating up Hollywood. Unfortunately, the film is seen as "weak" at the box office, grossing $26.5 million in its first three days, which falls short of the already low estimate of more than $30 million.

Nevertheless, if James Gunn's Suicide Squad has taught us anything, it is to expect the unexpected. And there is reason to believe that Warner Bros. Pictures may be more optimistic about this film than you think. We already know that James Gunn is considering the film. Here is what we think we know about the possibility of "Suicide Squad 2".

Of course, beware of spoilers for James Gunn's "Suicide Squad."

It is sad to say that as of right now we would not bet our money on a sequel being released. The low box-office numbers for "Suicide Squad" are hard to ignore. Nevertheless, there may be reasons why the film did not do well and financial possibilities for a sequel that have nothing to do with the film's performance.

First, and most obvious, "Suicide Squad" was released shortly after the buzz surrounding the delta variant of Covid 19 began to surge. This may have discouraged audiences from returning to the cinema.

Also, "Suicide Squad" was available on HBO Max, and many people saw it; The Hollywood Reporter reported that HBO Max chief Andy Forssell said that "Suicide Squad" was the same as the movie theater He claims that it was the second most-watched opening of any HBO Max film arriving on the date and time. However, these figures have not been made public, nor has the film had any impact on subscriber numbers.

However, if enough people stream "Suicide Squad" on HBO Max, Warner may see a reason to order a second film from director James Gunn. The sequel will hopefully be released at a time when it is no longer dealing with the Covid 19 variants, and will have a better chance of making significant money at the box office.

And the title may be less likely to be confused with the critically derided 2016 film. The title "Suicide Squad" was originally a joke by director Gunn that executives liked.

After years of internal debate over how to replace David Ayers' 2016 film Suicide Squad, James Gunn will write and possibly direct the film in October 2018. Suicide Squad was released in August 2021.

Based on that, the release date is expected to be summer 2024 at the earliest. And since Gunn is likely to be busy making "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" starting in November 2021, it will likely be after that.

No one seems to be in any hurry to go any further.

Since so many people died in Suicide Squad, the main cast cannot be recalled. Nevertheless, there are seven familiar names and faces that we hope will be brought back if Warner Bros. Pictures allows this film to go ahead. They are:

And it is unlikely that James Gunn would erase the existing survivors for a new team. Asked by Entertainment Weekly about a sequel, the director said, "I actually have an idea," adding, "If we were to do a sequel, it wouldn't be, 'Let's put together another team and do this.' It would be something completely different."

One team member Gunn might consider hiring is Calendar Man, who was last seen mocking Polka Dot Man. The only clue to Calendar Man's identity was the word "FEBMARAPR" (an abbreviation for the second, third, and fourth months of the year) scrawled on his forehead and wrapped around his dome with the rest of the months, making him something of an Easter egg to hawkish DC comics fans.

As you may remember, Peacemaker killed Rick Flagg (the most internally beloved member of the Suicide Squad), incurring the wrath of the rest of the crew, and a very small bullet from a Bloodsport hit him in the neck. And as the post-credits scene in "Suicide Squad" reveals, Peacemaker is still alive.

Currently injured and trying to get his own show on HBO Max, Peacemaker may return in "Suicide Squad 2" as the colleague everyone really doesn't want to work with. Or maybe he goes rogue and everyone needs to take him down. Either way.

From the movie's ending, it seems Waller has more missions in store for "Suicide Squad."