Joel Kinnaman Is Totally Lying To You

Comic book adaptations turn actors into liars. It’s a contractual obligation! They will look reporters dead in the eyes and say, “No, I will not be playing General BizzBuzz in the reboot of Cape Crusades,” even though several scoop-hungry paparazzi have snapped pictures of them wearing BizzBuzz’s signature camo cape. Regardless, the actors hold strong because they don’t want to spoil a “surprise.”

Sometimes, this feels a little pointless. The biggest example of that is Marion Cotillard in The Dark Knight Rises. When Cotillard was announced for the film, it was revealed that her character’s name was Miranda Tate. Since that name wasn’t present in the history of DC Comics, many assumed that it was a fake, meant to distract from her real identity. Fans guessed that she would be playing Talia al Ghul, daughter of Batman Begins villain, Ra’s al Ghul. They were correct.

Regardless, Cotillard swore up and down that she was not playing the bad guy’s daughter. It’s a tough position to be in, especially at that time. Comic Book movies were growing in their overwhelming strength, and studios and actors were adjusting to dealing with fans who knew the source material better than them. They were making educated, logical guesses that were making it more difficult to just make a f***ing movie. So, while Cotillard’s efforts felt pointless, it’s because people were being annoying.

With increased fan interest comes increased fan frustration. Some people became desperate to spoil things for themselves. They want to know every detail about something before they see it, giving them a chance to judge it ahead of time. It’s no way to live. It has also drastically affected the film and television industries. Actors and actresses can’t promote even the smallest of projects without being bombarded with comic book movie questions. At least some of them can have fun with it.

Joel Kinnaman was recently promoting his new film The Silent Hour. He was asked about rumors that he would be reprising his role as Rick Flag in the new season of Peacemaker. It may seem like a silly question, as Kinnaman’s Flag died in 2021’s Suicide Squad. However, director Peter Sollett tagged Kinnaman in a wrap photo post on Instagram, which was made all the more suspicious by being deleted.

When asked about these rumors, Kinnaman was hilariously forceful in his denial. “I don’t know what to say,” the actor began. “That’s ridiculous. I would never. I would never be on a show like that. It’s not what I do. It’s not what I do.” Kinnaman is no stranger to television or comic book movies, so saying “it’s not what I do,” doesn’t feel very believable. It could be Kinnaman reacting in character, as Flag was killed by John Cena’s Peacemaker.

Either way, Kinnaman is just trying to have fun with the situation. People know he’s probably not telling the truth. Not only was he tagged in a wrap photo, but Frank Grillo will be appearing as his character’s dad. He seems primed to make an appearance in a flashback, or maybe as a spooky ghost. Whatever happens, he’s not saying s*** about it until it does.