David Ayer is still holding onto hope that his version of Suicide Squad will receive the same special treatment as Zack Snyder’s Justice League, which came in the form of a director’s cut. Despite the challenges and setbacks, Ayer remains optimistic about the possibility of showcasing his unique vision for the film.
Just like how fans campaigned for the #ReleasetheSnyderCut, there are also fans who are requesting an “Ayer cut” of the movie that first introduced Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Recently, David Ayer took to social media and revealed that he has discussed the idea of a new release of Suicide Squad with James Gunn, who directed the sequel and is now in charge at DC Studios. Ayer mentioned that Gunn assured him that the “Ayer cut” will eventually have its own time to be shared, although no other details were provided at this time. It’s certainly an exciting prospect for fans, eagerly waiting to see a different version of the movie.
Warner Bros. has yet to provide a response to EW’s inquiry. They haven’t replied yet, which leaves us wondering what their thoughts are. It’s like waiting for a text message from a friend and anxiously anticipating their reply. We’re curious to hear what Warner Bros. has to say about the matter. The silence from their end leaves us in suspense, craving clarity on the situation. It’s like trying to solve a puzzle without all the pieces. We hope they can shed some light on this issue soon.
In response to a question on Twitter about why he continues to discuss his version of the 2016 supervillain movie, Ayer expressed genuine curiosity and interest, asking for advice on how to handle the situation gracefully. He acknowledged that while some people enjoy mocking the film, their comments actually demonstrate the magnetic pull towards negative discussions about it. Ayer also shared a personal reflection, asking the audience if they have ever had an experience that didn’t align with their expectations, causing them to reevaluate everything.
Yesterday, Ayer openly expressed his dissatisfaction with the studio’s involvement in altering his film, which ultimately led to its poor performance at the box office and negative reviews from critics. He confidently asserted, “I can assure you that my unseen version of the movie is far superior to the one released by the studio.” It is evident that there is a genuine and natural desire from the audience to see Ayer’s original vision come to light. Gunn, who understood this, assured Ayer that there would be an opportunity for his version to be unveiled. It is only fair that Gunn is given the chance to pioneer his own DC universe without any unnecessary controversy surrounding previous projects.
When Warner Bros. finally released the much-discussed “Snyder cut” of Justice League, it gave Ayer hope for his version of Suicide Squad. “I think the studios see now that there can be canon, there can be non-canon, the fans just want to touch it,” Ayer told EW in 2021. “They love the characters, they just want to spend more time with it. And people are way more sophisticated about how movies are made and want to be participants in the journey. There’s room for different things, different versions, different assets being shared with the audience. I think it just helps strengthen the community. But absolute credit to Warner Bros. for supporting Zack and having the courage to explore that.”
I was deeply disappointed because I put my heart and soul into creating a genuine and emotional drama. However, it was heavily criticized and the producers attempted to transform it into something it was never meant to be, resembling Deadpool. This was not my intention at all. Despite this, I took the blame and accepted responsibility as the leader of the project, since my name was associated with it. Even though the final product didn’t reflect my original vision, I took all the criticisms and remained resilient. I firmly believe that the movie I created is truly remarkable, despite the fact that it may have frightened the executives.
When the subject of David Ayer’s cut came up, WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff made it clear to Variety that it is not something they will be working on.
Joel Kinnaman, who portrayed Rick Flag in both Ayer’s Suicide Squad and Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, expressed his support for Gunn’s version of the movie upon its release. According to Kinnaman, Ayer’s film lacked a clear direction due to excessive input and interference from various parties involved. He believes that in the case of big-budget studio films, different people pulling in different directions can result in a final product that lacks a strong identity or purpose. Kinnaman describes the first Suicide Squad movie as ending up somewhere in between without a distinct position.
Now that Gunn and Peter Safran are leading the DC ship at Warner Bros., the perspective on an “Ayer cut” could have shifted. Ayer’s recent statement, in which he believes that Gunn should have a fresh start without dealing with any controversies from previous films, contradicts his previous plea for an “Ayer cut.” This suggests that there will not be a director’s cut of Suicide Squad released in the near future.
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