Suicide Squad director David Ayer continues to defend his unseen cut of the film, and why wouldn't he? The version Warner Bros. put out in theaters in 2016 was a mess, panned by critics and fans alike. With the launch of DC Studios, he clearly hopes to one day #ReleaseTheAyerCut, but will it ever happen?
Some time ago, pages from the original screenplay leaked online, all of which proved that, yes, Ayer's vision was vastly different. How much of this made it in front of cameras isn't clear, but there are many scenes that we've seen leaked images from, and others we'd love to get a look at.
Then, there are moments that, honestly, sound appalling. That's particularly the case with how Harley Quinn was going to be handled, and we're sure you'll have some thoughts on the excerpts covered here. They include an unexpected romance, a totally different ending, a somehow even weirder take on The Joker, and a tease for a sequel we're never going to see.
Will you be on board the #ReleaseTheAyerCut train after reading this breakdown? There's only one way to find out...
8. Killer Croc's History With Deadshot
Killer Croc didn't get a whole lot to do in 2016's Suicide Squad, though most fans were disappointed with the design Ayer chose for the villain. He was no King Shark, that's for sure, but it seems the Ayer Cut would have expanded on his backstory.
During an exchange with Deadshot, Croc tells the assassin that once they return to Gotham City, he has a list of names he wants Floyd Lawton to take out. His fellow villain scoffs at the idea, doubting that the monstrous Batman villain could afford him. However, it turns out Croc secretly hired Deadshot to cut out a man's heart for him, so he's well aware of his price!
This was likely meant to reference Croc's abusive past, and while we're not 100% sure why he wouldn't kill these people himself, perhaps it's simply because he feels more comfortable in the sewers?
7. Incubus' Defeat
We know Katana was going to fall under Enchantress' control (the leaked pages confirm Croc would have saved her), and the reason for that has seemingly been revealed.
The theatrical cut saw El Diablo sacrifice himself to stop Incubus, but Katana was supposed to be the one responsible for delivering the killing blow. It's no wonder, then, that Enchantress would look to take vengeance on Rick Flag's right hand by taking control of her mind and body.
Katana actually used her sword to slice Incubus' head in half, meaning the spirit of the villain would become trapped inside Soul-taker (putting an end to him once and for all).
6. Monster T's Original Fate
This is majorly twisted. After The Joker basically awards Harley Quinn to Monster T, the Clown Prince of Crime starts applying pressure and makes the gangster realise what a mistake it would be to take his girl...you know, the one he's just been given.
Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Monster T begins to panic and is given a choice. Take Harley or shoot her. It would be worse not to gun her down, of course, but doing so would mean he faces the wrath of The Joker. The villain continues to taunt him until he realises there's only one way out: to shoot himself.
He does so, and while Harley is having fun, The Joker blames her for what happened. This is a glimpse into their twisted, abusive relationship, and a moment likely to make for uncomfortable viewing.
5. Joker Tries To Kill Harley Quinn
Suicide Squad frames The Joker's mission to rescue Harley Quinn from Amanda Waller's clutches as some sort of deranged act of love, and when he pushes her from that helicopter, it's to save her life (even if that means sacrificing his own).
In the "Ayer Cut," the Clown Prince of Crime wasn't quite so loving. He legitimately p*ssed off to be saving Harley when he takes her aboard that chopper, chastising her for the inconvenience he's been put through. After realising she's bonded with her Task Force X teammates, an angry Joker end up pushing her out of that open door to her death shortly after they're hit by a missile.
He's not trying to save her life and is instead just angry that she's dared to make her own friends. Interestingly, shortly after the helicopter crashed, we'd have seen Joker emerge from the wreckage...
4. The Final Battle
We know Suicide Squad was supposed to end with a scarred Joker returning to confront Harley Quinn and Task Force X, but how was that final battle going to play out from there?
Shortly after Enchantress is defeated (with Harley responsible for delivering the killing blow), the Clown Prince of Crime prepares to gun her down. However, the defiance she shows - "You're not the boss of me" - shakes him to his core, and he accepts that Harley no longer belongs to him.
With that, The Joker makes his exit, leaving the battle with Enchantress to continue. It sounds like a weird, intense moment, especially given his parting words to his former lover (see above).
3. Romance For Deadshot And Harley
Recently, a leaked image from Suicide Squad showed Deadshot and Harley Quinn locking lips. At the time, a romance between the two characters was being explored in the comic books, and Ayer obviously wanted to translate that to the big screen.
They have a discussion about love earlier in the film, with Deadshot making it clear you can't feel things like empathy when you kill as many people as he does. However, it seems Floyd does fall in love with Harley, something that's evident when she gets close to him and asks what he calls the feelings they're having for each other.
With that, they kiss, and it seems like the plan was for them to embark on a romantic relationship moving forward.
2. A Very Different Ending
At the end of Suicide Squad's theatrical cut, The Joker breaks into Belle Reve to rescue Harley Quinn. The scene felt like a product of reshoots, and was clearly meant to serve as a "happy ending."
Surprisingly, we were going to get something similar in Ayer's version, with a leaked script page revealing that the villain would have broken into her cage, pushed her to the side, and pointed a gun at Harley's head. Then, he'd had flashed what the script refers to as "the smile," something used throughout the screenplay prior to him killing someone.
It's unclear whether this was a cliffhanger or the film was supposed to end with Harley's abusive boyfriend getting the last laugh; either way, it's a crappy ending and one we're actually glad didn't see the light of day.
1. Post-Credits Scene Twist
Bruce Wayne was always set to appear in Suicide Squad's post-credits scene, though this version was a little different. While he still warns Amanda Waller that putting together Task Force X is a mistake, it seems the stage was going to be set for a sequel pitting those villains against the Justice League.
Shortly after he makes it clear that he can't help her if she doesn't close the program down, Waller receives a notification that The Joker has broken into Belle Reve.
The script warns that "a storm is coming," and we can't help but wonder if these villains would have somehow fallen under the Clown Prince of Crime's control. With that in mind, it's possible we'd have actually seen Joker's Task Force X against Waller's, but it's hard to say for sure what was being set up here...and we'll no never know!