Adam Cozad, who wrote The Legend of Tarzan for Warner Bros., is in negotiations to pen the studio’s sequel to Suicide Squad.
The follow-up is a priority for Warners, which made overtures to several directors, including Mel Gibson. No filmmakers are currently attached, and the studio is focusing on nailing down a story.
David Ayer wrote (and directed) the 2016 movie, which had an all-star cast that included Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. The pic faced some hurdles during production and was met with a somewhat polarizing response, but grossed $745 million worldwide, enough to put a follow-up on the fast-track.
Ayer is not returning for the sequel, and is instead focusing on developing Gotham City Sirens, a project that reunites him with Robbie and focuses on the female villains of the DC Universe.
Suicide Squad told the story of such villains as Deadshot, Harley Quinn, the Joker, Captain Boomerang and Killer Croc, who are forced into the service of the government in exchange for lighter sentences.
Cozad is known for trafficking in the action and comic book realms. The scribe co-wrote 2014’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit starring Chris Pine and penned Underwater, the adventure movie that is heating up at Fox with Kristen Stewart coming on board to star.
Cozad also worked on Bloodshot, the adaptation of the Valiant comic book, and The Gray Man, a Charlize Theron spy thriller. His Tarzan, which starred Alexander Skarsgard and Robbie, grossed over $356 million worldwide.
Cozad is repped by ICM Partners, the Gotham Group and Weintraub Tobin.
