Suicide Squad: 1 Beloved DCU Hero Won’t Return on Screen, Joel Kinnaman Admits
For a character whose fate has already been sealed once, suicide squad is ending with an unusually final note. Joel Kinnaman has now said that Rick Flag Jr. ’s on-screen run in the DC Universe is over, turning weeks of speculation into a clear, if understated, farewell. The remark matters because Flag has remained one of the franchise’s most recognizable figures across multiple projects. Kinnaman’s latest comments leave little room for interpretation: Peacemaker Season 2 appears to be his last appearance in the role.
Why Rick Flag Jr. ’s exit matters now
Kinnaman first played Rick Flag Jr. in Suicide Squad and later returned in The Suicide Squad, where the character’s story reached a definitive end. That death did not completely close the door, since he later appeared in flashback form on Peacemaker. But Kinnaman has now drawn a line under that possibility, saying, “Yeah, I would say so, ” when asked whether audiences had seen the last of his character. In practical terms, that makes Peacemaker Season 2 a farewell rather than a setup for another return.
The significance is not just narrative. Rick Flag Jr. has served as a connective thread across different DC projects, and his presence helped bridge the older film era with the newer television chapter. Ending that role removes one of the franchise’s few recurring human anchors. For a universe still defining its long-term identity, that is a notable shift.
What Kinnaman said about the suicide squad legacy
Kinnaman’s comments were not limited to the future. He also revisited the contrast between the two films. Looking back at the 2016 Suicide Squad production, he said he was “very unprofessional, ” describing a set where the cast was “partying all the time” and calling the experience “a mess. ” By contrast, he described the 2021 film under James Gunn as “much more professional. ”
That comparison does more than provide behind-the-scenes color. It also frames how Kinnaman views his own trajectory inside the franchise. He treated his later return as a separate version of the character, calling Peacemaker’s Flag an “alternate universe, mealy-mouthed Rick. ” That phrasing suggests a deliberate recognition that the role he revisited was not a continuation in the usual sense, but a distinct creative detour tied to the show’s specific structure.
Just as important, Kinnaman said he did not expect the return when it was arranged. Gunn, he explained, reached out and pitched it as a “little fun thing” he would like him to do. Kinnaman said he accepted quickly, which reinforces the impression that the appearance was meant as a contained moment rather than the start of a broader comeback plan.
Expert perspective: a closed chapter, not a tease
Kinnaman’s wording is the clearest evidence available: “I would say so” is not a tease, and there is no indication of a planned return. That matters because franchise storytelling often relies on ambiguity. Here, the ambiguity is being replaced by finality. The actor’s statement also aligns with the narrative logic already established: Rick Flag Jr. died in The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker used flashbacks to revisit him rather than revive him permanently.
Another key detail is the separation between Kinnaman’s DC work and his next steps. He has already moved on to Icefall, Imperfect Women, and Jo Nesbø’s Detective Hole. In editorial terms, that makes the exit feel more definitive, because it is paired with a visible professional transition rather than a pause.
What this means for the DCU going forward
The broader DCU impact is simple: one familiar face is leaving the screen, and the franchise will have to continue without one of its most established crossover figures. That does not change the fact that Rick Flag Sr. remains active in the universe, but it does change the emotional architecture around the role Kinnaman played. His character’s death already carried weight in The Suicide Squad; now, the postscript has closed too.
For the franchise, the real question is how many such threads can be retired before continuity begins to feel like a series of isolated chapters rather than a connected world. The answer may depend on whether future projects create new figures with the same kind of recurring presence that Rick Flag Jr. once offered. For now, though, Kinnaman’s statement leaves the suicide squad legacy with one less return path and one more ending. Where the next emotional anchor will come from remains the question hanging over what comes next.
