‘Suicide Squad’ BROKE David Ayer

Suicide Squad broke director David Ayer’s heart.

David Ayer discussed Suicide Squad as his worst Hollywood disappointment in the most recent episode of Jon Bernthal's Real Ones podcast.

The director has been outspoken in recent years about how the Suicide Squad theatrical cut is not the version of the movie he prefers. Critics lambasted that cut, but Ayer has long argued that the studio completely altered the tone of the movie from his initial vision.

“Hollywood — I tell people — is like watching someone you love get fucked by someone you hate,” Ayer said when asked about his biggest Hollywood heartbreak. “The big one is ‘Suicide Squad.’ That shit broke me. That handed me my ass.”

“Come right off ‘Fury,’ right? I had the town in my hand — could’ve done anything, and I did do anything,” Ayer continued.

“And [I] go on this journey with [‘Suicide Squad’]. And the same thing — authentic, truthful, let’s do all the rehearsal, let’s really get in each other’s souls. Let’s create this amazing, collaborative thing, right? And then ‘Deadpool’ opened, right? And they never tested ‘Batman v. Superman,’ so they were expecting a different result, and then they got hammered by all the critics. Then it’s like, ‘Okay, we’re going to turn David Ayer’s dark, soulful movie into a fucking comedy now.’”

Ayer has continued to utilize social media to push for the distribution of his Suicide Squad director's version, also known as the Ayer Cut.

The director recently posted on X to let his followers know that he had been notified by James Gunn, the new head of DC Studios, that the Ayer Cut "would have its time to be shared." Ayer didn't offer any more details.

“All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release,” Ayer tweeted.

“The interest in my cut being show seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have its time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch his DC universe without more drama about old projects. In a way, I’m chained to this thing. I’m riding a tiger here and navigating this situation the best I can. Life is a very strange journey.”

Despite receiving negative reviews, Ayer's Suicide Squad made $747 million worldwide at the box office. Will Smith played Harley Quinn in the movie, which also made Margot Robbie famous. In 2021, James Gunn will helm his own Suicide Squad film.