Why Warner Bros. Should #ReleaseTheAyerCut of SUICIDE SQUAD

Recently, fans achieved a major victory when Warner Bros. finally confirmed plans to release Zack Snyder‘s version of Justice League. Dubbed Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the alternate cut of the movie will be released on HBO Max in 2021. With this victory under their belt, fans have turned to a new campaign for another DC movie: the director’s cut of Suicide Squad.

While Suicide Squad was a financial hit in 2016, there is no secret that the studio tampered with director David Ayer‘s vision. Originally a darker comic book tale, WB pushed for reshoots to lighten the tone, in the wake of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘s poor reviews. While the theatrical cut was more lighthearted, it was different from what Ayer had in mind. Over time, Ayer has spoken about his take, and most recently, he has been active on Twitter talking with fans about what could’ve been…or could still be one day.

This trailer nailed the tone and intention of the film I made. Methodical. Layered. Complex, beautiful and sad. After the BVS reviews shell shocked the leadership at the time, and the success of Deadpool – My soulful drama was beaten into a “comedy” https://t.co/vrMw8QE2iZ

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 30, 2020

Today, the #ReleaseTheAyerCut campaign is in full swing, with fans wanting to see Ayer’s original vision on HBO Max. We at WOBAM! Entertainment agree with this sentiment.

Below, we discuss why WB should release Ayer’s Suicide Squad on HBO Max.

Return to Filmmaker-Driven Storytelling

Over the years, Warner Bros. has touted itself as a filmmaker-driven studio, and that wouldn’t change with its blockbusters. Unfortunately, the studio faltered for a time in that regard. After Batman v Superman‘s underperformance, WB tampered with the visions of both Suicide Squad and Justice League. Thankfully, the studio (eventually) redeemed the latter, allowing Zack Snyder’s vision to see the light of day. Not to mention, every other recent DC movie has followed a filmmaker-driven process. Now, WB has the opportunity to do the same for Ayer. This would only be a win-win; it allows Ayer’s work to be made public, and it lets WB continue to cash in on a movie that has already been profitable.

More Content for HBO Max

DC has been one of the biggest selling-points for HBO Max. Several DC movies and shows are available, big-budget originals are on the way, and it will be home to the long-awaited “Snyder Cut.” Giving the service access to Ayer’s Suicide Squad is a no-brainer. It gives them another high-profile original that can be accessed by audiences, especially during a time when more people are home than ever. Plus, Ayer has said that his cut would be “easy” to complete, so it shouldn’t be too expensive for HBO Max to take it on.

Redemption for Jared Leto’s Joker?

Of all the changes in Suicide Squad‘s theatrical cut, few have garnered as many headlines as Jared Leto’s Joker. The actor received mixed reception for his role in the movie, where he only had a few minutes of screentime and had a lot of footage cut. So, we never really saw the full potential of his performance. Releasing Ayer’s cut will allow us to see everything that Leto brought to the table. While his performance may always be polarizing, we’ll at least see what it looks like without it being hacked to pieces.

A Movie Better Suited for David Ayer’s Filmography

David Ayer is an accomplished filmmaker, delivering excellent movies like Fury and End of Watch. And while I did not like Bright, I can at least commend Netflix for allowing him creative freedom. So, looking at the theatrical cut of Suicide Squad alongside his other films, it’s easy to see that it wasn’t the movie Ayer set out to make. If WB was to release Ayer’s cut, we would finally have a version that’s a worthy addition to his filmography.

Surely there are other points that we can consider. But at the end of the day, we believe it would be a good move for Warner Bros. and HBO Max to pursue a release of David Ayer’s Suicide Squad. Hopefully, this is something we’ll see happen in the near future.

What are your thoughts on the idea of Warner Bros. releasing David Ayer’s Suicide Squad on HBO Max? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter at @WOBAMEnt.