Suicide Squad director boosts hopes for Ayer Cut

Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad — (Image credit: Warner Bros./DC)

Suicide Squad director David Ayer has boosted hopes for the Ayer Cut's release, as it seems James Gunn is onboard with releasing it eventually.

Ayer maintains that the theatrical version of Suicide Squad was "ripped to pieces" and has said before that his director's cut would feature "terrifying" scenes of Jared Leto's Joker. After posting a picture of Leto's take on the Clown Prince of Crime, the director then addressed hopes for the Ayer Cut's release once more.

"What's your advice on how to navigate this situation with grace? There's a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people," he wrote on Twitter in response to a fan. "And I'm aware of there is another group of people that have fun mocking the film. Your comment is a perfect example of how many are magnetically drawn [to] discussion to the 2016 film in a negative way. Have you ever had an experience in life that didn't [turn out] the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything? I have."

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He added: "All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release. The interest in my cut being shown seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have its time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch to launch his DC universe without more drama about old projects. In a way I'm chained to this thing. I'm riding a tiger here and navigating this situation the best I can. Life is a very strange journey."

What’s your advice on how to navigate this situation with grace? There’s a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people. And I’m aware of there is another group of people that have fun mocking the film. Your comment is a perfect example of how many are magnetically drawn… https://t.co/QZTZGUInASAugust 7, 2023

It certainly sounds promising that Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios, believes the Ayer Cut has a time to be shared eventually. Gunn himself helmed The Suicide Squad, a sort-of-soft-reboot-sort-of-sequel to Ayer's 2016 film.

And, of course, there is precedent for a DC director's cut finally seeing the light of day – Zack Snyder's Justice League was released in 2021 following a passionate fan campaign.

We'll just have to wait and see if the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad is ever actually released. For now, next up on the DC release slate is Blue Beetle, which hits theaters this August 18. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else the studio has in store.