'The Shallows' director frontrunner to helm 'Suicide Squad 2'

A new frontrunner has emerged to direct the sequel of 2016 hit 'Suicide Squad' and it is not Mel Gibson.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jaume Collet-Serra, who directed the shark thriller 'The Shallows', has emerged as the frontrunner to helm 'Suicide Squad 2'.

Warner Bros. initially circled Mel Gibson to direct the project, but script delays pushed the production start and Gibson moved on.

Sources say that the script received a new treatment written by Zak Penn, previously known for films like 'Avengers' and 'Rogue One and now, a new script will be written for the movie.

The first movie was directed by David Ayer ('Fury') and featured an all-star cast which included Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Viola Davis and Jared Leto.

The first part was a success at the Box-Office, as the movie grossed 745.6 million USD worldwide.

The studio is eyeing a mid-2018 start for the sequel.