Suicide Squad director David Ayer cleared the air about a previous statement of his that most interpreted as him praising the negativity of fans.
When it comes to the DCU, there’s a certain sect of the fanbase who are known to be notably loud and often rude: those who campaign for the Snyderverse to make a return. Now, of course, not all of them fit under those negative descriptions—but there’s enough that those traits are almost universally associated with Zack Snyder fans.
Many who loved Snyder’s recut of the Justice League have been trying to get the same thing to happen for Ayer’s panned 2016 film—creatively coined as the Ayer Cut. So the very divisive and polarizing fan base is one that is close to home for the director.
This is why when Ayer commented on Gunn’s post, claiming that “passion” coming from both sides is a good thing, many read it as an endorsement.
Now, the director is looking to clear the air.
Ayer Isn't for Negativity
In a new tweet, Suicide Squad director David Ayer attempted to debunk claims that he praised the negative behavior coming from a contingent of DC fans.
In an article from Comicbook.com titled "Suicide Squad Director David Ayer Praises 'Negativity' of Angry DC Fans," the site reported on how the director had all but endorsed the appalling behavior of some fans:
"I always saw the negativity as a testament to the power of these characters. There’s something deeply mythological in them that ignites passion on both sides."
In response, Ayer noted that he was "absolutely not" praising negativity:
"Sigh. No. Just no. Praising negativity? Absolutely not. Look I get it - You need to pull eyes to your articles. Write a wild headline. That’s the game. But on no planet do I control hate, trolling, toxicity. Can everyone just play nice?"
When a Twitter user replied to the above tweet, Ayer doubled down on the claim that the director endorsed the negative behavior,
"I have no patience or tolerance for the behavior you’re describing.
I hope you don’t either."
The Ayer Cut's Future
It’s completely understandable as to why many saw Ayer’s comments as an endorsement—especially given his close connection with those fans.
The filmmaker did actually show off the Ayer Cut to one of them, who has been touting its divine existence as if it’s the holy grail. But will Ayer actually ever get it out into the world?
It’s not likely—at least not in a legal and profitable way. New DCU leads James Gunn and Peter Safran seem to be going full speed ahead with a drastic reboot of the franchise, so the duo will almost certainly look to wash away as much of the old regime as possible.
Also, it’s been made pretty clear that Warner Bros. regrets having greenlit Zack Snyder’s Justice League in the first place. They’re extremely unlikely to make the same mistake again.
In a way, it’s easy to look at Ayer’s words and get the exact meaning Comicbook.com’s article pointed out—to avoid confusion on the matter, the director probably should have chosen his words a little more concisely.
