Tom Hardy Almost Joined the DCEU In a Highly Controversial Movie—but One Movie Saved Him

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Tom Hardy was almost in the movie *Suicide Squad* (2016) as the character Rick Flag. He was originally going to be part of the film’s cast, but couldn’t do it because of conflicts with his other projects. Joel Kinnaman ended up playing the role instead.

Tom Hardy had to withdraw from a project because filming for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s movie, *The Revenant*, took much longer than expected. He said, “*The Revenant* ended up taking three months longer to film than planned, and the production became much more complex than we initially anticipated.”

While promoting Mad Max: Fury Road, Hardy shared that he regretted not being able to work with director David Ayer, and he thought the script was excellent. However, he also suggested that ultimately, his decision to not take part in that project might have been good for his career.

Tom Hardy had already become a prominent actor thanks to his portrayal of Bane in *The Dark Knight Rises*. By choosing not to participate in *Suicide Squad*, he steered clear of a movie that, while financially successful, received mostly negative reviews.

Despite earning $749 million globally on a $175 million budget, the movie received mostly negative reviews. It currently has a 26% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a Metacritic score of 40, with many critics describing it as disorganized, with underdeveloped characters and inconsistent filmmaking.

Critics generally disliked the movie, with some calling it “anything but super,” “ugly and boring,” and even “trash.” While Margot Robbie’s performance as Harley Quinn received praise, reviewers found the story and characters disappointing. Director David Ayer later expressed regret over the film, calling it a major professional disappointment.

Even though the movie did well at the box office, Hardy might have been better off not taking the part, as it could have changed the course of his career.

Though Joel Kinnaman acted well, the negative reviews for *Suicide Squad* prove that appearing in a big comic book movie doesn’t always lead to more success. Tom Hardy, on the other hand, kept strengthening his acting reputation by taking on difficult roles, and probably benefited from steering clear of a flop like that, helping him remain a respected actor.

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2025-09-27 09:44