A couple of months ago, Warner Bros. finally confirmed that a Justice League film would be getting made to rival Marvel’s The Avengers.

The major studio are now moving forward with their plans to adapt another prestige comic-book series into a film, this time it being Suicide Squad, which will focus on the supervillains of DC Comics.

The story follows the notorious beings who were organised by the US government to work together as a black ops team in exchange for redemption.

After weeks of speculation, they have now confirmed the six actors who will be taking on the roles of these notorious minds.

Will Smith (Independence Day, Men in Black trilogy) will portray assassin Deadshot, one of Batman’s many enemies. Smith has had previous experience of playing a super character when he took on the role of Hancock in the 2008 film of the same name.

Despite playing Batman villain Bane in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (2012), British actor Tom Hardy (Inception, Warrior) returns to the DC Universe in the part of Rick Flag, the leader of the Suicide Squad.

As most Heath Ledger fans had feared, the late actor’s iconic role as The Joker is set to be reincarnated on screen by another big name performer. Fresh from winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar earlier this year, Jared Leto (American Psycho, Dallas Buyers Club) has been given the almighty task of playing the deranged and psychotic enemy of Batman.

While there is bound to be dismay about someone else playing the character so soon after Ledger’s portrayal in The Dark Knight (2008), Leto seems to be a well-suited replacement who is capable of producing chameleon roles to perfection.

Having become a favourite with many male (and possibly female) audiences for her sultry turn in Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, the exquisite Australian actress Margot Robbie (Neighbours, About Time) has been cast in the role of another key Batman baddie, Harley Quinn. The Jester-cladded villainess is the loyal assistant and girlfriend to The Joker.

Finally, Jai Courtney (Live Free and Die Hard, Terminator: Genisys) will portray Captain Boomerang who is chief nemesis to The Flash while British model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne (Anna Karenina, Pan) will play the villainous sorcerer Enchantress.

Warner Bros president Greg Silverman issued a statement about the new project:

“The Warner Bros. roots are deep on this one. We look forward to seeing this terrific ensemble, under David Ayer’s amazing guidance, give new meaning to what it means to be a villain and what it means to be a hero.”

David Ayer (Training Day, Fury) will direct the comic-book film with a release date scheduled for August 2016.