2016's Suicide Squad actually did pretty well at the box office, but it remains one of the most negatively-reviewed movies in the DCEU. There are glimmers of a much better film in there, though, and director David Ayer maintains that his original vision for Task Force X would have been very different before the studio forced his hand.
An aspect of the movie that arguably comes in for the most backlash is Jared Leto's interpretation of the Joker, particularly the character's appearance, and his relationship with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
We know that Ayer filmed an alternate ending, which would have given the iconic Batman villain a lot more screen time and completely changed his dynamic with Harley, who was going to sever ties with the madman after coming to realize how toxic their relationship really was.
Now, Ayer has shared what appears to be some previously-unseen concept art representing his "original intent" for the Joker.
This take on the character looks quite similar to the one we saw in the movie, but there are a few differences - most notably, the lack of that "damaged" head tattoo. We're not exactly sure what the explosion of skulls and purple mist is supposed to signify, but then he is a fairly flamboyant chap, that Joker fella!
Ayer recently revealed that he has spoken to James Gunn about potentially releasing the "Ayer Cut" of Suicide Squad down the line, so we may eventually get to see what the director originally had in store for these characters.
About The Author:
Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.