Highlights
- Suicide Squad director David Ayer defends James Gunn and praises him as the "bravest man in Hollywood" for taking charge of DC's difficult film adaptations.
- Ayer revealed that Gunn has previously expressed support for releasing Ayer's original cut of Suicide Squad if there is enough fan demand.
- Ayer's previous tweets voicing his concerns about the studio's secret edit of his film may have sparked fan outrage and calls for the #ReleaseTheAyerCut movement. However, the situation between Ayer and Gunn appears to be amicable, and a release of Ayer's cut may be possible in the future.
Suicide Squad director David Ayer has a message for DC fans amid zealous calls for James Gunn to "Release The Ayer Cut." Both directors have adapted the popular comic book IP; however, James Gunn's The Suicide Squad received significantly more praise than Ayer's adaptation.
After Suicide Squad's release in 2016, Ayer was vocal about his contempt for the final cut. It was later revealed that Warner Bros. had secretly edited Suicide Squad behind Ayer's back, evoking a widespread desire for DC to release Ayer's original cut. Tensions only rose with the 2021 release of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. Although Gunn's film is technically a box office flop, it was celebrated by critics and fans alike as a far superior film adaptation of the source material. When Gunn took over DC in 2022, eager fans turned to him as the party responsible for releasing Ayer's cut.
Due to rumored tensions between the two DC directors, and Gunn becoming the public target for fan hate on social media, Ayer took to Twitter to defend him. "I absolutely can’t wait to see Gunn's Superman. I have to say this. Gunn is the bravest man in Hollywood these days. He’s taking charge of the hardest ship to Captain in this industry," stated Ayer, praising Gunn and shouting out his upcoming Superman: Legacy. He continued with a request for any rabid fans, "We are entertainers. Not elected officials leading a nation. Everyone please chill."
As it turns out, there is no animosity between the two directors. According to Ayer, Gunn has previously told him that his Suicide Squad cut will "have its time" if the idea receives fan support. Therefore, it may be Ayer's preaching about his cut of Suicide Squad that triggered this outrage in the first place. Ayer has previously stated on social media that his film was ripped to pieces due to the secret studio cut and deserves to be released due to organic interest from fans.
Given the success of "Release The Snyder Cut," perhaps Ayer knew what he was doing in vocalizing his concerns on social media. His previous tweets have read more like calls to action encouraging fans to share their support for a Suicide Squad director's cut, but as suggested by Ayer's recent tweet on the subject, the fan excitement may be getting out of hand.
For now, fans can rest easy knowing there's no beef between Ayer and Gunn, and a release of Ayer's Suicide Squad may be in the works.
Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad are currently streaming on Max.
The Suicide Squad
A desperate government agency recruits the world's most dangerous villains to save the world. Known as Task Force X, the team consists of characters like Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Deadshot, and El Diablo. They have to work together as a team to stop an evil bigger than themselves.
Source: David Ayer/Twitter