David Ayer says he remains optimistic about the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad reaching fans after years of stumbling blocks and campaigning.
When David Ayer’s Suicide Squad crash-landed in theaters, disparate reactions painted the ensemble superhero movie as a mixed bag. While some fans delighted in the anti-hero adventure’s humor, comic book-style action, and character chemistry, others dragged the project through mud, unleashing a seemingly endless nit-pick-palooza about minute details and bold takes on classic characters. After the smoke cleared, Ayer voiced his discontent about the film, saying it was “ripped to pieces” and that his Suicide Squad cut was superior. Unwilling to let his ideal film version fade into obscurity, Ayer recently told Total Film he’s optimistic about the Ayer Cut one day making it to the fans who matter most.
When asked if he thinks the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad will ever get a proper release, The Beekeeper director said, “I think so. I’m going to be hopeful. You know, there are a lot of people that are invested in certain narratives that don’t want it to see the light of day. So there’s an immense political headwind against it, because if that cut were made public, the cowardliness and the whole just general shittiness of how the film’s been treated, and how the actors have had this great work that they’d done taken away… That narrative blows up once people see the movie. But it’s coming. Something’s going to happen. Something’s going to be revealed. The truth always comes out. It always comes out.”
For what it’s worth, I hope this story has a happy ending. Ayer’s been pushing for his ultimate version of DC’s Suicide Squad to reach fans for years, and if it’s half as good as he says it is, I bet people would love to see it.
Meanwhile, Ayer’s The Beekeeper buzzes into theaters on January 12, 2024. In The Beekeeper, one man’s brutal campaign for vengeance takes on national stakes after he is revealed to be a former operative of a powerful and clandestine organization known as “Beekeepers.” Ayer directs from a script by Kurt Wimmer (Equilibrium, Law Abiding Citizen, Point Break). While Statham is the star of the show, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Josh Hutcherson, Bobby Naderi, Minnie Driver, Phylicia Rashad, and Jeremy Irons complete the primary cast.
Do you believe Ayer when he says his cut of Suicide Squad “is coming?” What could be so different about Ayer’s version that it will change people’s minds about the film? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.