Will Smith and Margot Robbie thank Toronto with Suicide Squad fan experience
Free, exclusive 2-day fan event begins tomorrow ahead of film's Aug. 5 opening
After taking over downtown Toronto to film Suicide Squad last year, two of the movie's supervillains returned Tuesday to thank us with a fan experience.
Will Smith and Margot Robbie, along with director David Ayer, promoted the movie during a red carpet event in the Distillery District, a portion of which is being transformed into a setting like the Belle Reve Penitentiary.
Along with sets and props from the production, fans will also be able don a "safety suit" costume and take part in character Harley Quinn's "Smash Room."
Belle Reve is the prison facility depicted in DC's Suicide Squad comics and in the upcoming film, slated to hit theatres in Canada on Aug. 5.
The ensemble film — about a team of supervillains enlisted as reluctant heroes for a special mission — stars Smith, Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis and Canadian Adam Beach.
Warner Bros., the movie studio behind the anticipated antihero tale, wanted to offer something "special" for Toronto.
- Suicide Squad stages massive plane crash on Toronto's Yonge Street
- Filming closes more streets downtown
- Suicide Squad shuts down Yonge Street, yet again
- Batman appears on Suicide Squad film set in Toronto
Although the film's extensive action scenes repeatedly shut down major downtown corridors such as Yonge Street and the shoot forced a partial temporary closure of the Union Station transportation hub (which drew the ire of commuters), many citizens were largely excited about getting a closeup look at the action.
At the time, Mayor John Tory said he supports making concessions for film productions.
Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/wbpictures">@wbpictures</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/SuicideSquadWB">@suicidesquadwb</a> for investing in TO's film & entertainment industry. We are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HollywoodNorth?src=hash">#HollywoodNorth</a>. <a href="https://t.co/q0izmZ9pAz">pic.twitter.com/q0izmZ9pAz</a>
—@JohnTory"I think the notion that we'd close down a section of one of our major streets at night is something that we can cope with," he told CBC News, adding that road closures are a small price to pay relative to the overall economic benefits of film shoots.
The Belle Reve Penitentiary Fan Experience will be open to the public in the Distillery on Wednesday and Thursday, 1-10 p.m. local time. Admittance is free.
