Following his successful debut in The Suicide Squad, Sylvester Stallone has confirmed King Shark’s DC Universe future. Based on the comic book character created by Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett, Nanaue (aka King Shark) is a humanoid shark that is often depicted as a recurring villain for The Flash and Aquaman. After the character’s first live-action appearance in The Flash television series, director James Gunn would also add a more childlike iteration of the character to his version of Task Force X in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. While the motion capture performance of the film version of King Shark was provided by Steve Agee, Gunn admitted that he recorded three other actors before finally settling on Stallone to voice the character.
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Now with Gunn taking charge of the DCU as co-CEO of the freshly rebranded DC Studios, Stallone was asked about his own potential return to the franchise. Speaking with ComicBook.com, the iconic actor was asked if there were plans for him to return to voice King Shark, now that his The Suicide Squad director is leading the studio, confirming the character’s DCU Future, and expressing his appreciation for his relationship with Gunn. Check out his response below:
Yes, for sure. I think James has been very generous… He and I are pretty tight. So if there’s an opportunity… I love him, he’s great.
Related: The Suicide Squad: King Shark Didn’t Have A Bomb – Theory Explained
Where Could King Shark Appear Next In The DCU?
![Ratcatcher 2 hugs King Shark in The Suicide Squad](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Ratcatcher-2-hugs-King-Shark-in-The-Suicide-Squad.jpg)
When The Suicide Squad was first released, Stallone’s performance as King Shark quickly became one of the film’s most celebrated aspects. Imbuing Nanaue with a sense of childlike innocence, Stallone’s take on the otherwise intimidating character helped make him a bona fide fan favorite. Even prior to Gunn’s appointment as co-CEO of DC Studios, fans were wondering if and when Nanaue would return for a second outing. Now that Gunn is the one responsible for helping shape the future of the DC franchise, Stallone’s confirmation seems to make King Shark’s return more likely than ever.
Given that King Shark’s comic book origins often put him in direct conflict with Barry Allen and Arthur Curry, it is plausible that Nanaue’s return may come in the form of a cameo in either The Flash or Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which are both planned for a 2023 release. However, given that the work on both of those films was largely completed prior to Gunn’s latest studio appointment, the likelihood of such an appearance in either movie seems fairly slim. A far more likely option, however, would be for King Shark to reconnect with his former Task Force X teammate in Peacemaker season 2, especially given Agee already has a major role on the series as A.R.G.U.S. agent John Economos.
Another possibility is for Nanaue to appear in the previously reported Amanda Waller spinoff series, which is expected to pick up the threads from Peacemaker season 1 and Black Adam. Though the series has not been officially confirmed by either Warner Bros. or Gunn himself, if such a series were ever to eventuate, it would make sense for Task Force X to serve a prominent role, and help reintroduce King Shark to the DCU fold. Wherever he may return, audiences can revisit Stallone’s King Shark debut with The Suicide Squad streaming on HBO Max now.
Next: Amanda Waller’s Spinoff Has The Perfect Way To Bring King Shark Back
Source: ComicBook.com
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