Hurt by the negative reviews of the 2016 anti-hero movie, David Ayer thinks it would be great for the cast to get together for a 'last rites' screening to show them 'what they actually made.'
- Jan 10, 2024
AceShowbiz - David Ayer is hoping for a "funeral screening" of his "Suicide Squad" cut. The 55-year-old director helmed the 2016 DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film, which was met with critical reviews, but he has since claimed the final cut is "not my movie," and now he thinks it would be "fair" to bring the cast and crew together for a "last rites" screening to show them "what they actually made."
"That's been the toughest part of my career. I made a great movie. I made an amazing film. I'll go on record. Anyone wants to dispute that, Come look me in the eye," he told Variety when speaking about being criticised for the released version of the motion picture.
"To have something I put so much love and so much heart into get taken away, reengineered ... you know that Eric Andre meme where he shoots the guy and says, 'Why'd you do that?' That's been like 'Suicide Squad.' 'Why'd you do that?' I didn't. I would love a 'last rites' screening. A funeral screening, you know, even just bringing the cast and crew together to show them what they actually made. That that would be fair for everyone."
Ayer hit out at critics who have bashed him for the 2016 film, insisting it is "pretty unjust" and "pretty unfair." He added, "Every time a new movie comes out in that space it starts up again. I get attacked for something that I didn't do. It's pretty unjust, and at the end of the day, at this point, I get it, it's corporate America. It's corporate IP. You know these are multi-billion dollar companies, but I think ripping the guts out of a filmmaker like that is pretty unfair."
In August, Ayer insisted DC co-chief James Gunn had reassured him that his version of "Suicide Squad" - which starred Jared Leto and Margot Robbie - will "be shared" at some point. In a lengthy post on X, Ayer wrote, "There's a genuine curiosity and interest from a lot of people."
"And I'm aware of there is another group of people that have fun mocking the film. Your comment is a perfect example of how many are magnetically drawn discussion to the 2016 film in a negative way. Have you ever had an experience in life that didn't until the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything? I have."
"All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release. The interest in my cut being show seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have it's time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch 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. Welcome to my Ted talk (sic)."
