Los Angeles, Sep 4 (IANS): "Doctor Who" star Peter Capaldi has joined James Gunn's upcoming "The Suicide Squad". Actor Pete Davidson is also in talks to come on board.

Warner Bros. had no comment on the casting.

James Gunn is directing the sequel to the 2016 feature based on the DC Comics anti-heroes. Margot Robbie, Joel Kinnaman, Jai Courtney and Viola Davis are reprising their roles and Idris Elba, John Cena, David Dastmalchian and Daniela Melchior have joined the film, reports variety.com.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" director Gunn also wrote the script to the project, in which supervillains are recruited by the government to carry out secret missions.

"The Suicide Squad" will hit theaters on August 6, 2021.

Capaldi, a native of Scotland, starred in "Doctor Who" between 2012 and 2017. He won an Oscar in 1995 for the live-action short "Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life," which starred Richard E. Grant.

Davidson joined "Saturday Night Live" in 2014. He recently starred in and co-wrote an untitled comedy, which Judd Apatow directed and produced.