James Gunn has officially responded to calls for the Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad, and there is quite a bit to unpack in his statement. The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker director James Gunn will officially be CEO of the newly formed DC Studios, Gunn heading up the creative side of the studio, with Peter Safran handling the business side. Intended to be a new DC-based vertical similar to Marvel Studios, big plans for the DCU's future are being assembled, with the future of Henry Cavill's Superman after this return in Black Adam being a particular priority.
In one of his first major statements as DC Studios CEO, James Gunn responded to a major #ReleaseTheAyerCut social media trending event. While not announcing any plans for the Ayer Cut to be released, Gunn's statement is nonetheless a very nuanced one, with David Ayer himself describing DC as "lucky to have you" in a reply to Gunn. While interest remains strong in seeing David Ayer's cut of 2016's Suicide Squad, whether DC Studios will give it the same greenlight as Zack Snyder's Justice League remains to be seen. Still, based on James Gunn's statement about the campaign for the Ayer Cut, the odds of it happening do not seem to have lessened.
James Gunn's Response Is Not A Yes Or A No To The Ayer Cut
Just as important as what Gunn's statement on the Ayer Cut says is what his statement does not say. Gunn's comments indicate that planning the next slate of upcoming DC projects and looking ahead is his most immediate priority in the new formation of DC Studios. Considering that, the Ayer Cut being greenlit does not appear to be among James Gunn's immediate plans for DC Studios.
At the same time, that doesn't mean that the Ayer Cut's potential release is off the table. Gunn's statement about the Ayer Cut is an acknowledgment of the push for it while making clear upfront that other DC projects being greenlit, budgeted, and mapped out are the current priority for DC Studios. While this might not be the Snyder Cut-level announcement many fans hoped for, Gunn's statement doesn't outright dismiss it. That James Gunn did not articulate a clear-cut "No" to the Ayer Cut is already a significant about-face from the past management of Warner Bros.
James Gunn's Acknowledgment Is A Huge Contrast To WB's Previous Regime
Gunn's Twitter comments about the Ayer Cut, while not affirming any future release plans, nonetheless stand totally at odds with the notorious resistance WB's previous regime had to the Snyder Cut. As the #ReleaseTheSnyderCut movement began to gain attention, WB repeatedly denied the Snyder Cut existed at all, with a 2018 Wall Street Journal piece quoting executives saying no such release would happen. Even after the Snyder Cut finally was released in 2021, numerous articles and interviews with WB executives, such as former CEO Ann Sarnoff, downplayed the film as a one-off, and adamantly stated that neither Snyder's intended Justice League sequels nor the Ayer Cut would happen. Zack Snyder himself also stated that WB "tortured" him during the Snyder Cut's completion, including refusing to allow him to include Green Lantern (Wayne T. Carr) in the movie's final scene due to their purported plans for the character (which never materialized).
By contrast, Gunn's approach seems to be vastly more diplomatic and open. Even using the #ReleaseTheAyerCut hashtag, Gunn directly communicates with the fan community requesting the Ayer Cut (supported by Will Smith and other cast members) and acknowledges the sincerity behind it. Acknowledging the desires being vocalized by the DC fan base is something he and Safran are striving to do, describing them as "listening & open to everything as we embark on this journey." Gunn's comment comes off as also significantly more inclusive of fans of Zack Snyder's and David Ayer's DC work with his statement of inviting "all of the DC fandoms from across the multiverse" and "everyone else as well" into the audience of the future plans of DC Studios. Considering how much more dismissive previous Warner Bros. leadership was toward calls for the Ayer Cut, Gunn's stance is far more even-handed.
What Are The Ayer Cut's Chances Of Release After James Gunn's Response?
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Even with some Ayer Cut footage being released online, James Gunn not delivering a hard answer on the Ayer Cut's release is not that surprising when looking back at how the Snyder Cut played out. Even after the massive social media campaign for the Snyder Cut's release on November 17, 2019 (the two-year anniversary of Justice League's release), no release plans were immediately communicated. It was not until six months later on May 20, 2020 that the Snyder Cut was officially announced, with considerable planning and pitching for it on the part of Zack and Deborah Snyder in the interim. It is not unreasonable to expect that similar preparations on Ayer's part would need to precede any official announcement.
As DC Studios new co-CEO, James Gunn has a lot on his plate in both managing the slate of upcoming DC projects and organizing and planning new ones. The tumultuous past of the DC Extended Universe makes it even more necessary that he and Peter Safran plan a long-term, solid roadmap for the future. Coordinating the many DC film, TV, and animated projects Gunn speaks of in his statement will require his undivided attention, especially if Gunn's role leads to Ben Affleck's Batman returning. At the same time, Gunn is very aware of the fandom and seems far more amenable to hearing them out. With that and the minuscule amount of work left to do on David Ayer's version of Suicide Squad, it might take more time for the Ayer Cut to cross the finish line, but the door at least seems to be open.
