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‘Suicide Squad’ director reveals even more studio-mandated changes to a fan-favorite character

We still want to see the Ayer Cut for ourselves, though it's looking like Warner Bros. isn't interested.

harley quinn suicide squad
via Warner Bros.

We’re now seven years on from the release of Suicide Squad, but director David Ayer clearly still has a bee in his bonnet about the production. That’s understandable given the revelations about interference by Warner Bros. executives, eventually resulting in the film being taken away from Ayer and recut by Trailer Park, the company that made the well-received trailer.

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The studio screened Ayer’s more somber and serious version and Trailer Park’s overtly comedic cut to test audiences, eventually choosing to completely rework the film to bring it in line with the promos. That process resulted in many of Ayer’s scenes and plotlines being left on the cutting room floor.

Over the years, he’s teased the Ayer Cut, and like Zack Snyder before him, has been drip-feeding information on social media about his version of the movie. Now he’s here with an update on his initial vision for Jay Hernandez’ El Diablo:

Right now, the chances of the Ayer Cut seeing the light of day seem slim. Soon after the successful release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League the future looked bright, with that version inarguably an improvement on Joss Whedon’s awful theatrical cut. But with James Gunn now in charge of the DCU and determined to make a fresh start, we doubt whether there’s much internal interest at Warner Bros. to dip back into the past.

It’s a shame, because we’d still love to see Ayer’s version, which accordingly to him merely needs some work on the score to be ready for release. He’s privately screened this version for various friends in the industry, and we suspect it’ll eventually emerge in one form or another, though that doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen anytime soon.