Writer/director David Ayer has been incredibly vocal about how his original vision for Suicide Squad differed greatly from the theatrical release. From posts of Jared Leto in charred Joker makeup to apocalyptic and vague screenshots of concept art connecting the film to Justice League, Ayer has given DC fans a veritable smorgasbord to feast themselves upon.
WarnerMedia announced last week that the hotly anticipated Snyder Cut of Justice League will be released in 2021 on HBO Max, but the so-called Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad has a smaller chance of receiving similar treatment (although Ayer insists it's lacking only visual effects). That said, here are the biggest details the filmmaker has shared about his cut.
MORE OF JARED LETO'S JOKER
Perhaps the cast member whose public image was damaged the most by the release of Suicide Squad, Jared Leto never got a fair chance to show audiences how well he could portray the Joker. That has only become more true as Ayer has revealed details surrounding the “hours” of footage he has of the actor as the Clown Prince of Crime.
According to Ayer, the cut footage took place between the Joker’s helicopter crash and Harley Quinn’s dramatic prison escape, and w featured Leto’s character cutting a deal with Cara Delevingne’s Enchantress in order to save Harley (Margot Robbie).
ENCHANTRESS-POSSESSED KATANA
Ayer also said he had a more satisfying vision for Katana, who was barely seen in the film. She is touted in the film as being incredibly deadly, and had Ayer gotten his way, the big talk would have been justified. In his version, Katana (Karen Fukuhara) eventually would have been possessed by Enchantress (Katana’s eyes are actually seen turning black the final trailer) and used as a pawn to fight Task Force X.
Any amount of additional footage would probably improve Katana's standing with fans, as she little screen time in the theatrical release.
AN ARC FOR JUNE MOON
As it stands, June Moon/Enchantress barely had any screen presence in Suicide Squad. Seeing as she becomes the primary antagonist early on, that emerged as one of the criticisms of the film. Ayer has said that, had he gotten his way, Enchantress would have received her due. Perhaps that included exploring her backstory, which was glossed over in a montage, or fleshing out her relationship with Rick Flag, played by Joel Kinnaman.
HARLEY LOVE TRIANGLE
Another aspect of Ayer's original cut was a love triangle featuring Harley Quinn, Joker and Deadshot (Will Smith). While answering a fan question about his version of the movie on Twitter, Ayer explained that a subplot featuring a romance between Harley and Deadshot was removed during reshoots. If that story was able to play out, it's possible it would've continued on into Birds of Prey.
APOKOLIPS
After Ayer shared the above concept art on Twitter without explanation, fans began to speculate about its connection to the director's original vision for Suicide Squad. That included references to Apokolips in order to prepare fans for Justice League, released a year later. Ayer’s version went as far as to reveal Enchantress was being revealed as controlled by a Mother Box, and even included a Boom Tube. All mentions of Apokolips were reportedly removed by Warner Bros.
Although the decision to release the Snyder Cut of Justice League is a victory for passionate fans, the admittedly more niche appeal of Suicide Squad and its characters may hinder its true form from ever seeing the light of day. Ayer himself has attempted to temper fan expectations while simultaneously teasing the project. However, it ultimately may be in vain, as fans feel emboldened by the Snyder Cut decision.