David Ayer Says James Gunn ‘Told Me’ the ‘Suicide Squad’ Ayer Cut ‘Would Have Its Time to Be Shared’

Zack Sharf

David Ayer is keeping hope alive for his “Suicide Squad” director’s cut, dubbed the “Ayer Cut” on social media. In a recent post on X, the director informed his fans that new DC Studios boss James Gunn told him that the Ayer Cut “would have its time to be shared.” Ayer provided no further information.

Warner Bros. and Gunn’s representative did not respond to Variety’s request for comment.

More from Variety

“What’s your advice on how to navigate this situation with grace?” Ayer posted in response to a user who questioned why he was was still promoting his version of “Suicide Squad” seven years after the theatrical cut’s release. “There’s a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people. And I’m aware 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 the 2016 film in a negative way. Have you ever had an experience in life that didn’t until the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything? I have.”

“All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release,” Ayer continued. “The interest in my cut being show seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have it’s 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.”

Ayer has been outspoken for years about how the “Suicide Squad” cut Warner Bros. released in August 2016 was not his preferred version of the film. Ayer’s movie, which critics widely lambasted when it opened in theaters, starred Will Smith and introduced Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.

“I put my life into ‘Suicide Squad.’ I made something amazing… The studio cut is not my movie,” Ayer said in July 2021. “Read that again. And my cut is not the 10-week director’s cut – It’s a fully mature edit by Lee Smith standing on the incredibly work by John Gilroy. It’s all Steven Price’s brilliant score, with not a single radio song in the whole thing. It has traditional character arcs, amazing performances, a solid third act resolution. A handful of people have seen it. If someone says they have seen it, they haven’t.”

When Warner Bros. agreed to release Zack Snyder’s cut of “Justice League” on HBO Max after years of fans urging the studio, Ayer rallied his followers to call for the “Suicide Squad” Ayer cut.

James Gunn directed his own “The Suicide Squad,” which Warner Bros. released in 2021 prior to hiring him and Peter Safran to take over DC Studios and overhaul its DC Universe. Ayer previously called Gunn’s take on the material “brilliant.” Some of Ayer’s cast, including Will Smith, have supported him in his efforts to get the Ayer Cut released.

“Let me tell you, there’s a whole lot that stayed on the floor for ‘Suicide Squad,” Will Smith told Variety’s Marc Malkin last year. “I’m into it. I love that world. I love what was created in both versions. I absolutely would love to [see it].”

Best of Variety

Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.

Advertisement