Director David Ayer has released a pair of images showcasing a never-before-seen moment involving Jared Leto’s Joker from the ‘Ayer Cut’ of 2016’s Suicide Squad.
Ayer posted the images to his Instagram story – which has been preserved on Twitter. In one, Leto’s Clown Prince of Crime is seen smirking with a gun to his chin and surrounded by walls scrawled with laughter. Naturally.
In the other, one of Joker’s henchman is posing on set, weapon in hand and wearing a goat mask. It’s giving us Hotline Miami vibes, which is no bad thing – and indicates a slightly different, more playful tone to the one we ended up getting.
NEW PICS!!!!! #ReleaseTheAyerCut @DavidAyerMovies pic.twitter.com/L3uRwlp1vvSeptember 20, 2021
Ayer has previously been vocal about how the theatrical cut allegedly differs wildly from his original vision – which has led to a Zack Snyder’s Justice League-style call for the so-called Ayer Cut to be released on HBO Max.
Ayer said on Twitter last year that his Suicide Squad was "ripped to pieces – I can’t emphasize that enough."
He added: "Major elements of my cut were ripped out before I could mature the edit. Then [Geoff] Johns [then-president of DC Entertainment] wrote pages I had to reshoot." The director also made specific reference in the past to "terrifying" Joker scenes being left on the cutting room floor.
Jared Leto’s Joker may have made a comeback in the 'Knightmare' sequence of the Snyder Cut, but Suicide Squad’s status is very much unknown. With DC’s second FanDome event looming in October, there might just be enough buzz to get things rolling with the Ayer Cut once more.
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