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The DC Extended Universe had a rocky first few releases, as Warner Bros. found its vision and momentum in the comic book franchise. One of the early entries that failed to hit the mark was David Ayer's 2016 blockbuster Suicide Squad, with the filmmaker citing studio interference as the main issue. Plenty of Ayer's original concepts ended on the cutting room floor, especially regarding Jared Leto's Joker. But he recently shut down one rumor about the blockbuster's unused footage
Anticipation for Suicide Squad steadily built heading up to its release, thanks to a trailer fueled by "Bohemian Rhapsody" and stories of Jared Leto's wild on set behavior. But David Ayer has revealed that the reception of movies like Deadpool led the studio to push more comedy, and cut out some of his most visceral material. And now Ayer has shut down a rumor regarding how much unused footage was left out of Suicide Squad. As he put it,
Well, that was crystal clear. It looks like there isn't a whopping 39 minutes of Suicide Squad footage that was left on the cutting room floor. David Ayer doesn't offer another number in this situation, but seemingly put that rumor to bed once and for all. And smart money says he might be shooting down more theories like this on social media as calls for the Ayer Cut continue.
David Ayer spoke about Suicide Squad's unused footage over on his personal Twitter account. Ayer often uses social media to communicate with moviegoers, particularly regarding his work on the DC blockbuster. This is where we've gotten glimpses of deleted content, as well as insider information regarding his struggles making Suicide Squad into a reality. And while folks are still hoping for the #AyerCut, it doesn't look like the filmmaker has quite as much deleted material as Zack Snyder has in store for Justice League.
The Snyder Cut will be available exclusively on HBO Max in 2021. You can use this link to sign-up for the new streaming service.
Once HBO Max announced its plans to release the Snyder Cut of Justice League, audiences immediately pivoted their focus over to Suicide Squad. Since Ayer was another filmmaker whose vision was interrupted through outside influence, some DC fans are hoping that his villain-centric movie might also get a similar treatment on the upcoming streaming service.
In the years since Suicide Squad hit theaters in 2016, David Ayer has provided glimpses into what his cut of the movie would have included. The filmmaker has admitted that Harley's story was "eviscerated", including a love triangle with Deadshot. Jared Leto's character was notoriously cut out of the movie, only appearing in a handful of brief sequences.
Of course, there's no indication of Suicide Squad's alternate cut ever becoming a reality. Fans actively campaigned for the Snyder Cut for years, including crowdfunding and bold marketing choices. It's this ongoing interest that eventually convinced HBO Max and Zack Snyder to team-up, with Justice League's new cut being released exclusively on streaming.
Regardless, Suicide Squad's story will continue with James Gunn's soft reboot The Suicide Squad. A handful of actors are returning to reprise their characters, alongside an ensemble cast of talent in mysterious roles. And while David Ayer's original movie failed to resonate with audiences, it was a box office success and even earned an Oscar.
The Suicide Squad will hit theaters on August 6th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
