David Ayer Reveals His Original, More Dramatic ‘Suicide Squad’ Cut Was Never Test-Screened

David Ayer’s ‘Suicide Squad’ was released in 2016 and got a mixed response from both critics and audiences. Some people enjoyed the characters and the action, but many felt the plot was weak and the movie was disjointed.

The film was criticized for its inconsistent tone and pacing and also some ill-timed jokes. Despite being one of the lowest-rated DCEU movies, it was still a box-office success, and some fans have called for the release of Ayer’s original cut.

Many people think the negative reaction was mainly due to problems during post-production, but the full story is more complicated.

David Ayer recently clarified on X that his original, more dramatic cut of ‘Suicide Squad’ was never test-screened before last-minute edits were made, leading to “madness.”

Nope. Not true at all. I made a drama. Studio wanted a comedy. Madness ensued. My cut was never tested or screened for an audience.

James Gunn released his own version of ‘The Suicide Squad’ in 2021 as a way to reboot the franchise with a fresh direction. Gunn wanted to bring his unique style and humor to the film, as well as give more creative freedom to the characters. The decision also allowed him to take the story in a different, more fun, and irreverent direction.

Despite this, the fans never stopped calling for the release of the so-called “Ayer Cut.” Something that has been successful in the past with Snyder’s ‘Justice League.’ Back in 2020, Ayer stated that his cut of the movie would be “easy to release,” but no such thing has been put into motion so far.

Ayer’s comments clear up the idea that ‘Suicide Squad’s’ post-production issues were caused by a bad reaction to his original version. He also mentioned in a 2023 podcast that ‘Batman v Superman’ was never test-screened, and the negative response to that film led to studio interference in ‘Suicide Squad.’

The studio changed the tone of ‘Suicide Squad’ from dark and serious to something lighter, trying to fix the damage done to the franchise. This shows that Ayer’s original cut was never fully considered.

It’s also one of the many examples of studio interference, something that ultimately buried the DCEU completely.

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