In 2016, David Ayer directed film Suicide Squad was released. Though the film failed to impress the audience, its impressive box-office success cannot be overlooked. The film’s financial success was perhaps the reason for the makers to release its standalone sequel which was done in 2021.
Unlike the prequel, Suicide Squad 2 wasn’t a financial success, however, it’s worth noting that it was well-acclaimed by the audience. While the prequel was directed by Ayer, James Gunn took the helm for the sequel. In the 2021 follow-up, Gunn changed certain aspects of the film, which gave a distinct version to it from its predecessor. Actor Joel Kinnaman claimed that he liked Gunn’s directorial version more than Ayer’s directorial piece.
James Gunn’s Reboot of David Ayer’s Catastrophic Film
The catastrophic fate of the 2016 released film Suicide Squad, is no secret. Directed by David Ayer, the film featured incredible actors like Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman, and Will Smith. Before its official release, the initial cut of Ayer’s film underwent some significant changes by Warner Bros.
The rework of the film caused a deviation from the original director’s vision. Although the film set a box-office record by grossing over $746 million globally, it miserably failed to impress the audience.
Also Read: Tom Hardy is Not the Only Marvel Star Who Turned Down a Major Role in James Gunn’s Hit DCU Movie
Since the performance of the film was a critical failure, yet it attracted massive fortune, the studios decided to reboot the film. But this time, the helm of the film was with James Gunn. The filmmaker opted to go with the same star cast as Ayer’s film but to add a touch of his creativity, he included more villains from the DC comics.
Considering the fate of Ayer’s film, Gunn set certain conditions before Warner Bros. studios before starting his project. According to Entertainment Weekly, the director told the studios that he would direct the film only if it were rated R (for adults), not PG-13 (for teenagers), like Ayer’s film. Gunn said, “The studio definitely balked,” but eventually agreed with his terms.
Joel Kinnaman was impressed by James Gunn’s version of Suicide Squad
Unlike David Ayer’s Suicide Squad, James Gunn‘s directed film Suicide Squad 2 couldn’t generate as much fortune. However, it became the most-streamed DCEU film on HBO Max. It’s not just the fans who were excited with Gunn’s version of the film, as Suicide Squad actor, Joel Kinnaman also expressed his thrill for the Gunn’s film. During the same interview, the actor said,
“When I saw the film completed, I felt, yeah, ‘This was [what] we set out to do.'”
Meanwhile, recently, Ayer took to X (formerly Twitter) and expressed that he is hopeful that Gunn will release his Ayer cut soon. However, no further information was provided by him.
Also Read: 3 DC Villians James Gunn Must Bring Back From Snyderverse to End the Disappointing DCU Streak
Source: Entertainment Weekly, X
