Suicide Squad Director David Ayer Has Every Right to Be Upset

David Ayer, director of the 2016 Suicide Squad, has taken to Twitter to discuss his experience shooting the film.

The upcoming release of James Gunn’s Suicide Squad film has drummed up old feelings that Ayer needs to get off his chest officially. From his three-page letter posted to his Twitter last Thursday, fans now know a bit more about his experience working on the movie.

Ayer’s letter comes in response to a Tweet from film critic Tim Grierson at Screen Daily who said, “Well, here’s something I didn’t expect to write: I really loved The SuicideSquad,” wrote Grierson. “Many times while watching the new movie, I thought, ‘Yeah, David Ayer should just abandon the idea of that director’s cut.’”

My turn… https://t.co/E5uumAwvdp pic.twitter.com/ckr9kzeGFD

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) July 29, 2021

As a writer/director David Ayer is hit (End of Watch, Training Day) or miss (Sabotage, Bright). However, all his films have a signature tone and style that I can admit is missing from his version of the Suicide Squad. The 2016 movie looks and feels it was created in an executive boardroom, so it’s understandable why Ayer has disowned it.

“The studio cut is not my movie. Read that again,” he wrote. “And my cut is not the 10-week director’s cut – It’s a fully mature edit by Lee Smith standing on the incredibly [sic] work by John Gilroy. It’s all Steven Price’s brilliant score, with not a single radio song in the whole thing. It has traditional character arcs, amazing performances, and solid 3rd Act resolution.”

Ayer noted that he isn’t a hater. In fact, he praises Gunn’s version and all involved. “I’m so proud of James and excited for the success that’s coming. I support WB and am thrilled the franchise is getting the legs it needs,” he wrote. “I’m rooting for everyone, the cast, the crew. Every movie is a miracle. And Jame’s [sic] brilliant work will be the miracle of miracles.”

Warner Bros. isn’t going to shell out the same amount of money they gave to Zack Snyder to complete his cut of the Justice League, so let’s hope Ayer’s Suicide Squad doesn’t require any reshoots or additional footage. Can the director garner enough hype around #releasetheayercut to get HBO to acquiesce?

The Suicide Squad is set for release in theaters in the U.S. and on the HBO Max streaming platform on August 6.