Suicide Squad Is Still David Ayer’s Biggest Hollywood Heartbreak
Warner Bros.
It’s not a secret that David Ayer is heartbroken by the result of his Suicide Squad movie. The star-dubbed 2016 film suffered severe critical blasts over the years. Even seven years later, it is still being heavily criticized for thinly written characters, a chopped storyline, and being a complete mess.
The NYT called it “a good example of the idiocy of the system.” Variety criticized its “nonsensical story and not-nearly-impudent-enough tone.” Only 26% of critics gave Suicide Squad a positive Rotten Tomato score and 58% audience enjoyed the film.
David Ayer was one of the hottest filmmakers in Hollywood. He has just finished Fury and “had the town in my hand.” “[I] could’ve done anything, and I did do anything,” the director told the Real Ones podcast. “[I] go on this journey with Suicide Squad.” He said the film he had was “authentic,” “truthful,” and the cast “really get in each other’s souls.”
“I put my life into ‘Suicide Squad.’ I made something amazing… The studio cut is not my movie,” Ayer declared in July 2021.
“And then Deadpool opened, right? And they never tested Batman v. Superman, so they were expecting a different result, and then they got hammered by all the critics,” Ayer recalled. The studio then decided to change the tone of his movie. “Then it’s like, ‘Okay, we’re going to turn David Ayer’s dark, soulful movie into a fucking comedy now.”
Suicide Squad underwent massive editing and re-shoots before hitting the theaters. Margot Robbie revealed that she and co-star Jared Leto shot almost an entire film's worth of scenes for Harley Quinn and Joker’s backstory. One particular scene that has Joker torture Harley was later released to the public. Ayer wrote on X that it made the studio a little nervous about the film being too dark.
Ayer has been vocal that the studio’s last-minute change of plans for the theatrical release destroyed his movie. Over the past several years, Ayer has been advocating for his director’s cut to be released.
“Hollywood, I tell people, is like watching someone you love get fucked by someone you hate,” Ayer remarked. “The big one is Suicide Squad. That shit broke me. That handed me my ass.”
Despite the review bombing, the film that starred Will Smith and introduced Margot Robbie’s iconic Harley Quinn was a box office hit, scoring $747 million worldwide, and became the first film in the DC Extended Universe to win an Academy Award (for Best Makeup and Hairstyling).
Although the idea to release Ayer’s Cut has previously been shut down by WB executives, according to Ayer, James Gunn has reignited his hope. “Gunn told me it would have its time to be shared,” Ayer shared on Social Media.
Suicide Squad is available to stream via Prime Video. Rent/Buy starting at $3.99
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