DC Movie Bits: SUICIDE SQUAD Production Update, Joseph Gordon-Levitt Talks SANDMAN, More From Guillermo del Toro On DARK UNIVERSE

We recently heard that Warner Bros.’ Suicide Squad was set to begin production next April in Toronto, and now, The Hollywood Reporter has a few new tidbits to add. According to the site, the David Ayer-directed DC Comics adaptation will begin pre-production in February at Pinewood Toronto Studios, before shooting commences two months later. While the initial report says the production will last until August, THR says that Suicide Squad is expected to finish filming in September.

Also, THR provides an update on the casting process. Along with Margot Robbie and Tom Hardy, Jai Courtney and Jared Leto are both said to be in final talks to join Suicide Squad. Courtney is reported to be negotiating to play Deadshot, while Leto has been linked to the role of The Joker. Robbie is expected to play Harley Quinn, and Hardy may play Rick Flagg. Hopefully, a full cast will be announced soon. Suicide Squad is set to hit theaters August 5th, 2016.

Yesterday, producer David Goyer provided an update on the Sandman movie, which will reportedly star and be directed by co-producer Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Now, the actor-turned-filmmaker has offered his own thoughts on the Vertigo adaptation’s progress. During a Reddit AMA, Gordon-Levitt offered an update on Sandman, reflecting on meeting with Goyer, screenwriter Jack Thorne and creator/executive producer Neil Gaiman in the DC Entertainment office. “Been doing a lot of work with David Goyer and Jack Thorne, working on the screenplay. We’ve been doing our meetings at the DC office, which is a frickin rad place to work. Also just had a great conversation last week with David and Mr. Gaiman. Neil has been extremely big hearted with me, and he’s the one I want to please most.” Especially since Warner Bros. is apparently pleased with the script, development on Sandman will likely move forward sooner than later.

Finally, we have another minor update on Dark Universe, the Justice League Dark adaptation being developed by Guillermo del Toro. Recently, the writer-director confirmed that a script has been turned in to Warner Bros., and in an interview with Collider, he reaffirms his current work on the film. Del Toro was asked about his current involvement with a new Frankenstein film, which is now likely to be a part of Universal’s shared cinematic monsters universe. The director says that he does not know where that movie is right now, adding, “Right now the only sort of shared universe project I’m working on is Dark Universe for Warners, you know, for DC, which is Swamp Thing, Demon, Deadman, Zatanna. It’s a very different universe. As to the plans to the other one, I wish I had an inside track right now.”

Del Toro previously said that Dark Universe was its own thing and would not – at least immediately – connect with other DC movies. However, his referring to the film as a “shared universe project” may suggest otherwise. Of course, it could be that the movie could kick off its own cinematic universe, or it could link with other Vertigo adaptations, such as Sandman. We’ll see.