Chris Messina to play villain Victor Zsasz for DC’s Birds of Prey movie

As your attorney I advise you to grow eyes in the back of your head, because SHARP OBJECTS and THE MINDY PROJECT actor Chris Messina has been tapped to play the villainous Victor Zsasz for DC's BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN). Resting comfortably among other middle-tier Batman villains, Victor Zasz made his first appearance in the pages of Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 circa June, 1992. Known throughout the DC multiverse as a twisted serial killer, Zsasz carves tally marks into his flesh for every one of his victims. As an unhinged and unpredictable foe, Zsasz is expected to be working alongside Ewan McGregor's Black Mask when BIRDS OF PREY smashes into theaters.

Directed by Cathy Yan (DEAD PIGS, ACCORDING TO MY MOTHER), BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) will see SUICIDE SQUAD badass Margot Robbie reprising her role as Daddy's Little Monster, Harley Quinn. Set to join Quinn for a stroll along the mean streets of Gotham are Helena Bertinelli / Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and Dinah Lance / Black Canary (Jurnee Smollet-Bell). In the film, the aforementioned  Gotham City Sirens, along with the help of Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), come together to save the life of a little girl, Cassandra Cain (as played by Ella Jay Basco), from an evil crime lord known to those who fear him as Black Mask (Ewan McGregor).

In addition to Messina coming aboard the film as Victor Zsasz, Warner Bros. has also announced that Steven Williams (THE BLUES BROTHERS, JASON GOES TO HELL), Derek Wilson (RECTIFY, PREACHER), Dana Lee (PINEAPPLE EXPRESS), Francois Chau (RESCUE DOWN, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES II: THE SECRET OF THE OOZE), and Matthew Willig (WE'RE THE MILLERS, CONCUSSION) are joining the cast as well.

If you're looking for a little more background on Zsasz, you'll be interested to know that he was once the head of his own international company. At the age of 25, Zsasz lost his parents in a boating accident, a traumatic event that would send an all-too-fragile Zsasz down a spiral of depression and self-loathing. After failing to commit suicide, Zsasz slaughters a homeless man, thereby awakening a dark an insasiable bloodlust inside his black heart. His signature move is to slit the throats of his victims, though Victor has been known to get creative from time to time.

Do you think Vicotr Zsasz will make for a good addition to Yan's upcoming superhero adventure? Let us know in the comments section below.

DC's BIRDS OF PREY (AND THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN) will arrive in theaters on February 7, 2020.