Suicide Squad director David Ayer shared an unused still from his DC Extended Universe film that features a burned-up Joker.
Ayer posted the black-and-white photo on Twitter with the caption "Dream." It is not the first glimpse of a burned Joker that he has shared. He posted a colored picture from the same scene at a different angle last year on Instagram. A shot from the scene can also be glimpsed in the film's original trailer before it was eventually cut from the finished film.
The scene in question would have taken place between the Joker's helicopter crash and his planned prison break for Harley Quinn. According to Ayer, Joker was supposed to make a deal with Enchantress that would have saved Harley. However, she refused to abandon her friends and decided to fight alongside them.
The shot is from the three hours of footage of Leto's Joker that was not used for the film that is part of the rumored Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad. Following the film's release in theaters, reports began to surface that studio interference and forced cuts by Warner Bros. led to a subpar reception by fans and critics alike. Similar to Zack Snyder's Justice League, which actually debuted after Suicide Squad, fans began to demand a director's version of the film, something that Ayer has commented on multiple times.
Aside from more Joker, Ayer said he planned a larger and more fulfilling role for Harley Quinn and a stronger connection to Justice League.
While Suicide Squad is viewed as a critical failure, the film grossed $746.8 million worldwide and spawned two sequels. 2019's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) focuses on the titular character following her breakup with the Joker and James Gunn's upcoming The Suicide Squad will serve as a soft reboot for the franchise.
While there is no news on the Ayer Cut, HBO Max and Snyder are prepping for production to begin on the Zack Snyder's Justice League. The film will reportedly cost $20-$30 million to complete and will include new visual effects. There is also a possibility that some of the original cast members will voice new dialogue for the film.
Written and directed by David Ayer, Suicide Squad stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, Jay Hernandez, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Scott Eastwood, Karen Fukuhara, Ike Barinholtz, and Cara Delevingne. It is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray, 4K Ultra-HD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray 3D and DVD.