Suicide Squad's Infamous Ayer Cut Holds Secret Screening

By Aeron Mer Eclarinal Updated:
Suicide Squad, David Ayer

The success of the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League has led many to believe that David Ayer's cut of 2016's Suicide Squad will be next. Similar to Snyder, Ayer has been vocal about his support for the grassroots campaign to release his version of the movie, with the director showing his passion for the project via social media. 

Since then, the director has been sharing little hints that tease the cut's existence. Back in October 2020, a tweet from the veteran filmmaker indicated that he saw his cut recently, potentially hinting that he might be working on it after all

Ayer then revealed interesting tidbits about his version of Suicide Squad, such as the fact that the first "40 minutes" was the toughest to leave on the cutting room floor. 

Now, a promising update about the Ayer Cut has emerged online. 

David Ayer Confirms Secret 'Ayer Cut' Screening for Fan

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The official Twitter account of the 'Release the Ayer Cut' movement revealed that Suicide Squad director David Ayer screened his version of the movie to one of its admins. 

The user shared that the Ayer Cut has a runtime of 2 hours and 23 minutes while also confirming that it is a "totally different story:"

"I had the honor of being shown ‘The Cut’ by @DavidAyerMovies

No bs. 2hrs 23m of incredible! A totally different story! Forget the theatrical. This movie has a deeper message - Admin 1"

When asked if the user actually met Ayer, the account confirmed that he did, saying that he watched it in "his computer:"

"Yes. In-person. His cut. His computer"

Ayer then confirmed the user's claim, responding with a GIF of Steve Carell stating "facts:"

As questions flood in, @RTAyerCutSS described the Ayer Cut as a "mature cut" that has "deeper character arcs" while also offering high praise for Cara Delevingne's Enchantress: 

"I cannot give specific character arc details for obvs reasons. Just be assured [David Ayer's] ‘mature cut’ has deeper character arcs. The film totally different edit/order. A Superior story/film. [Cara Delevingne] was Great!! So much more character, we were denied. - Admin 1"

@RTAyerCutSS also shared that the events of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is "canon" to the film. The user also revealed that Scott Eastwood's character "gets a lot more love" in this version: 

"BVSUE is Canon. Scott gets A LOT more love. He’s integral. Sadly. NO Steppenwolf- Admin 1"

When asked if the public will ever get to see the Ayer Cut, the user is hopeful about the matter, noting that fans will need to keep asking Warner Bros. Discovery "to get on track:"

"Hopefully. We just gotta keep asking [Warner Bros. Discovery] to get on track. It follows BVS better! NO FLASH SCENE - Admin 1"

@RTAyerCutSS also revealed that Ben Affleck's Batman has "longer scenes" in the Ayer Cut. 

As a final note, the user shared a hopeful message to the Ayer Cut supporters, telling them to "keep fighting" while assuring them that they will be "as transparent as possible" on any updates that will arrive: 

"Sorry, the scoopers lied to you about a 2022 release. Thanks for your continued trust in us & will continue to be as transparent as possible all without spoiling the film or jeopardizing careers. If YOU keep fighting alongside us, we will succeed."

Ayer Slowly Pushing For 'Ayer Cut' Release?

While many have believed that the Release the Ayer Cut campaign has died down, this latest update further cemented that the battle is far from over. 

David Ayer's willingness to screen his Suicide Squad cut to one of the administrators of the movement goes to show that he is ready to make a push to release his version of the movie.

In addition, the fact that the director gave the green light to share notable tidbits about the movie on Twitter could hint that he is slowly hyping up the Ayer Cut, meaning that an eventual pitch to the studio could soon be on its way. 

Aside from the loyal supporters of the Ayer Cut, there has been significant support from huge DC stars and directors about wanting to see his version. 

Harley Quinn actress Margot Robbie admitted that she's "very curious" about what kind of movie the Ayer Cut will showcase while The Suicide Squad director James Gunn shared that he thinks that "there's a chance" that the version will be released following the release of his own movie. 

At the very least, it's safe to assume that this will not be the last time that the Ayer Cut will create headlines. And hopefully, Warner Bros. Discovery will take notice of this campaign once and for all.

- About The Author: Aeron Mer Eclarinal
Aeron is a news/features writer and Content Lead for The Direct who has been working for the site since March 2020. From writing about the inter-connectivity of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to having an extended knowledge about DC TV's Arrowverse, Aeron's expertise has since expanded into the realm of reality TV, K-drama, animated, and live-action shows from Netflix,  Disney+, Prime Video, MGM+, Peacock, Paramount+, and Max. When he isn't writing and watching all things MCU, Aeron is heavily invested with the NBA (go Celtics!) and occasionally watches thrilling matches in the WWE.