Suicide Squad director David Ayer debunks rumors that his cut of the film is headed to HBO Max. Ayer was tapped to write and direct the DCEU's first film centered on the anti-hero team, and though pre-release buzz was extremely positive, Suicide Squad stumbled upon release. Suicide Squad was a success at the box office, but it earned scathing reviews from critics and middling responses from fans. Seemingly as a result, Warner Bros. has chosen to go in an entirely different direction for the sequel, with Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn in charge this time around.
In recent years, Ayer has opened up about how the finished product audiences saw in theaters was a result of studio meddling. Ayer's Suicide Squad would've been much darker in tone and included different, more developed arcs for certain characters. The success of the fan campaign for Zack Snyder's Justice League has led some to wonder if the so-called Ayer Cut of Suicide Squad could be released, and Ayer himself has encouraged fans to share their interest in the project with WarnerMedia.
As Zack Snyder's Justice League is headed to HBO Max next year, a popular theory is that Ayer's Suicide Squad will follow suit. No official announcements have been made, but rumors have swirled for some time now suggesting WB has already made a deal with Ayer to release his Suicide Squad on the streaming service. A fan reached out to Ayer directly on social media asking him to comment on a report saying as much, and Ayer simply responded with a definitive "Not true."
It's not surprising that misinformation has spread so far so quickly, seeing as Suicide Squad star Karen Fukuhara even once thought the Ayer Cut had been released based on what she saw on the internet. However, despite definite fan interest online, the campaign for the Ayer Cut hasn't yet reached the heights of that for the Snyder Cut, so it's going to take some more time to win over the executives at Warner Bros. As of right now, the Suicide Squad Ayer Cut isn't happening.
However, that doesn't mean it won't ever happen. Ayer could very well be in discussions with WB right now working to allow the release of his Suicide Squad; he wouldn't be able to say one way or the other. Beyond that, HBO Max might be waiting to see how successful Zack Snyder's Justice League proves to be before they give Suicide Squad the greenlight. There are countless factors that could be impacting this situation, and until an official announcement is given, fans can only speculate. For now, the Ayer Cut is a no go, but fans don't have to give up hope just yet.
Source: David Ayer/Twitter
