David Ayer hopes to see his director's cut of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and shifted the focus away from DC's Trinity to multiple villains of different statutes.
When Suicide Squad was released, it was clear that the movie changed substantially during post-production. The original trailer for Suicide Squad that debuted after San Diego Comic-Con in 2015 promised a gritty and dark adventure about DC villains. But, the final product was bright, hastily put together, and drowned in hip-hop/rap songs. This came after reports that Warner Bros. meddled with Suicide Squad and ordered multiple changes to be made during reshoots, with the editing of the film put in the hands of the company who created the trailer.
In nearly four years since Suicide Squad's theatrical release, a push has begun to put Ayer's original vision out in the world. The Justice League to be released. The Snyder Cut will be a HBO Max original movie or mini-series, and now fans want to see Ayer get the same chance to show what he intended Suicide Squad to be before WB messed with it. If the Ayer Cut does come out, fans will get to see just how different these two versions of Suicide Squad are - but here are the differences that are already known.
A Darker, More Serious Tone
The tone of Ayer's Suicide Squad will arguably be the most significant difference between the possible new cut and what was shown in theaters. The theatrical cut of Suicide Squad featured a much lighter tone than he intended after the studio's reshoots. All of the music lifted the tone to some degree, but there were also multiple attempts at comedy included too. One of the more infamous lines added into the theatrical cut saw Killer Croc make a joke about getting BET in his cell. It's safe to say that these elements will be toned down or completely absent in Ayer's version.
The difference in tone can be plainly seen just by looking at the original and final trailers for Suicide Squad. Later marketing materials pushed the Deadpool-esque approach the studio wanted the movie to become, while the first look teased fans with a darker tone. Ayer has compared the tone of his cut to that of Joaquin Phoenix's Joker. If the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad is on par with Joker's dark tone, the tonal shift will be quite drastic.
Joker Teams Up With Enchantress
Jared Leto's role as Joker will also be different in the Ayer Cut, especially during the third act. Joker's role in the theatrical cut of Suicide Squad was a victim of the massive reshoots, as big parts of Leto's performance were cut. His last sizable scene in the movie is when he's separated from Harley during the helicopter crash and manages to survive. He only returned at the very end to break Harley out of Belle Reve prison.
However, Ayer initially gave Joker an important role in Suicide Squad's finale, as he was supposed to team up with Enchantress. Following the helicopter crash, Enchantress appears to the Clown Prince of Crime and strikes a deal. His role here explains the multiple photos of Joker with a burned face, which wasn't in the theatrical cut. Ayer's cut has Joker return when Task Force X confronts Enchantress and attempts to turn Harley against her friends again so she'll give Enchantress Katana's soul possessing sword. Of course, this entire aspect of the finale was removed during reshoots.
El Diablo Doesn't Die
The Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad also gives El Diablo (Jay Hernandez) a different ending, as he survives this cut instead of dying. The theatrical version of the movie sees Diablo take on a new form near the end to battle Incubus (Enchantress' brother). This fight proved to be Diablo's last as he sacrificed himself to save his friends. But, Ayer's ending for Suicide Squad includes Diablo staying alive. The specifics of his survival haven't been revealed, although it appears he and the team find a different way to kill Incubus.
Enchantress Possesses Katana
The director's cut of Suicide Squad will also include another critical third act difference for Katana. The often silent warrior doesn't have a prominent role in the theatrical cut of the movie, but she was supposed to be the star of a major action set piece in the end. Ayer's version of the film has Enchantress take control of Katana using a tendril and forces her to fight the rest of Task Force X. Katana being possessed by Enchantress was teased in the original trailers and the decision to remove it from the theatrical cut significantly reduced Katana's role.
Harley & Joker's Abusive Relationship
Harley Quinn and Joker's relationship is another aspect of Suicide Squad that will be noticeably different in the director's cut. The theatrical version of the movie toned down the abuse Harley suffered at the hands of Joker and changed her arc so she wound up with him again by the end. Ayer had a completely different depiction of Harley and Joker's relationship in mind. Their relationship will reportedly be much more toxic in the Ayer Cut, with Joker even pushing Harley out of the helicopter in this cut. The abuse Harley suffers turns her away from Joker, which opened up the door for a different romantic interest.
Harley & Deadshot Romance
Harley and Deadshot (Will Smith) are nothing more than fellow criminals with a minimal kinship in the theatrical cut of Suicide Squad, but they were intended to be romantically involved in Ayer's version. He has indicated that Deadshot and Harley become a couple during the movie, but it's unclear if this is before or after she and Joker are no more. Fans have pieced together that the hook up happens before they rescue Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), as Harley's line about having a hickey was meant to reference her and Deadshot's activities.
More Enchantress Backstory
Ayer has also confirmed that his version of Suicide Squad included more of Enchantress' backstory through an extended opening. The theatrical cut of the movie stripped down Enchantress' arc and character, making her an incredibly underwhelming villain. Part of the issue was the quick transformation Cara Delevigne goes through to go from June Moon to Enchantress during her introduction. But, the Ayer Cut includes a more fleshed out story for Enchantress/June.
Slipknot's Backstory
Another difference between the director's cut of Suicide Squad and the 2016 version is the treatment and introduction of Slipknot (Adam Beach). Unlike the rest of Task Force X, Slipknot didn't receive an introduction sequence to highlight why he was part of the team or how he got there. Instead, he just shows up and then dies shortly into the first mission. Slipknot's role was originally a bit larger and fleshed out, though, as Beach has teased the Ayer Cut includes a scene of Slipknot getting captured. It's possible this criminal activity could better explore what Slipknot can do or give viewers some level of attachment to him, so his death means something.
How Common's Monster T Died
One more change made between the Ayer Cut and the theatrical is how Common's character Monster T died. In the 2016 version of Suicide Squad, Joker shoots Monster T in the head after he makes a at Harley. But, Ayer has revealed that his cut of the movie includes a longer and darker death for the character. He said that Joker intimidates Monster T into killing himself. This twisted death for Monster T might go a long way in making Joker a terrifying villain in the eyes of viewers, which adds another layer to the character that the theatrical cut didn't include.
