SUICIDE SQUAD: As David Ayer Gives Up On "Ayer Cut," Here's Everything You Need To Know From Leaked Script

David Ayer has finally acknowledged that the world will never see the "Ayer Cut" of 2016's Suicide Squad, and if you're still curious about what might have been, we're revisiting that leaked screenplay...

By HamiltonParker - Jan 04, 2024 05:01 PM EST

Filed Under: Suicide Squad

After yet another tedious year of social media posts from Suicide Squad director David Ayer about the world one day seeing a version of the film he believes to be some sort of masterpiece, the filmmaker has finally thrown in the towel and given up on his naive hope to #ReleaseTheAyerCut.

A couple of years ago, pages from the original screenplay leaked online, all of which proved that, yes, Ayer's vision was a lot 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 be undeniably intrigued to see.

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.

Would this version of Suicide Squad have been as good as Ayer claims? It seems we'll now never get to find out, but you'll have a better idea after reading this breakdown...

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 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 ends 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 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 would have 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 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 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 now never know!

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

Recommended For You:

Warner Bros. Discovery Admits SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Sales Fell Short Of Expectations

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

28 Comments

DocSpock - 1/4/2024, 5:07 PM

That mostly sounds worse than the actual movie.

Keep this stinking corpse buried. UGH!

lazlodaytona - 1/4/2024, 5:13 PM

@DocSpock - He didn't explain it correctly. I met a dude in good ol' Utah who worked on the film (showed me his clearance and stuff too) and he proceeded to tell me almost nothing they originally filmed made it into the theater product. When people say it would have been a better and different film, they're dead-on.

DocSpock - 1/4/2024, 5:19 PM

@lazlodaytona -

I actually liked the first 2/3 of the movie. But the rest was so bad that it ruined it for me. The end fight was horrible.

whoknows - 1/4/2024, 10:37 PM

@DocSpock - I mean it’s dead on gone, never wanted to see any other cut. But I do acknowledge that the first comic con trailer of suicide squad was a vastly different tone than the later trailers. If you remember that first first trailer we heard that joker laugh and he led with “oh I’m not gonna kill you.” So I do believe that there was something better there beforehand. But it is what it is. Glad he can move on. Can’t believe he’s spoken so much about the movie over the years.

DocSpock - 1/4/2024, 10:59 PM

@whoknows -

The ridiculous ghetto Joker ruined things the minute I saw that. That was somehow worse than pipsqueak frat boy Luthor.

lazlodaytona - 1/5/2024, 4:03 AM

@DocSpock - yeah, that ending was atrocious. I mean, what idiot comes up with that at a company meeting and then is able to convince his/her co-workers to push it all through to end up on the big screen?

BeNice123 - 1/4/2024, 5:14 PM

Good!!! [frick]in sick’N’tired of hearing about CUTS!!! Gtfoh!!! If you movie did not Hit, its not the CUT, its you. Your directing sucks. Learn to live with it and move on.

marvel72 - 1/4/2024, 5:14 PM

Shame, I'd watch it if they released it.

JustAWaffle - 1/4/2024, 5:24 PM

Oh wow. I didn’t care about it before, but now I’m relieved that that will never see the light of day.

santoanderson - 1/4/2024, 5:25 PM

“Ayer gives up on The Ayer Cut.”

Can we get that in writing? Please?

HumanRubiksCube - 1/4/2024, 5:31 PM

jokers quote to harley literally sounds johnny depp speaking to amber heard

SpiderParker - 1/4/2024, 6:02 PM

@HumanRubiksCube - That's some nice casting choices for the DCU. I'm sure people would love to hate Amber Heard's crazy ex harley.

RedFury - 1/4/2024, 5:38 PM

Can't help but cringe at the logic in the Monster-T part...

Why would anyone decide to shoot themself instead of shooting the person that's toying with them? If you're going to die anyway, why not take the asshole with you? For a guy named Monster-T he's a pretty huge coward.

dracula - 1/4/2024, 5:52 PM

Easy for him to say he is done with DC, when they were done with him a long time ago

CerealKiller1 - 1/4/2024, 6:35 PM

Ah, Josh finally remembered the password for his Hamilton account

dagenspear - 1/4/2024, 8:16 PM

I only like 2 of these, Joker not being one side of a Bonnie and Clyde duo (it's not really the character at all) and Harley and Deadshot romance, though I feel like fulfilling it may have been soon for me, but eh. However, both of those are shot down by the ending where it feel like it's made not very satisfying, though still in character for Joker.

Arthorious - 1/4/2024, 8:39 PM

Well the Monster T thing wasn’t a mistake. He called Harley a b*tch and pretty much sealed his fate.

KingMob20 - 1/4/2024, 9:41 PM

I love reading articles like this where people complain about Joker mistreating Harley. Do y'all not get he's a BAD guy?

valmic - 1/4/2024, 9:50 PM

People who complain about Joker/ Harleys abusive relationship have never read Mad Love or seen the animated series.

theFUZZ008 - 1/4/2024, 10:16 PM

It still sounds [frick]ing terrible.

bkmeijer1 - 1/5/2024, 2:08 AM

No matter how much it differed, the Joker still remains the same. He's the worst Joker. And that's not a got thing.

Anyway, the best thing about the movie was the post credit scene. Only thing that worked as it did.

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

Related Headlines

The Suicide Squad

Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's AVENGELYNE Adaptation; POOR THINGS Scribe To Pen Script

MarkCassidy

1 day ago

Green Lantern

SUPERMAN: Nathan Fillion On Why He's Perfectly Suited To Play GREEN LANTERN Guy Gardner

MarkJulian

Apr 23, 2024 08:04 PM

The Suicide Squad

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Star Daniela Melchior On Ratcatcher's DCU Future: "I Can't Wait To Wake Her Up"

MarkCassidy

Mar 25, 2024 07:03 PM

Related Headlines

The Suicide Squad

Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's AVENGELYNE Adaptation; POOR THINGS Scribe To Pen Script

MarkCassidy

1 day ago

Green Lantern

SUPERMAN: Nathan Fillion On Why He's Perfectly Suited To Play GREEN LANTERN Guy Gardner

MarkJulian

Apr 23, 2024 08:04 PM

The Suicide Squad

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Star Daniela Melchior On Ratcatcher's DCU Future: "I Can't Wait To Wake Her Up"

MarkCassidy

Mar 25, 2024 07:03 PM

Video Games

Will SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Turn Things Around With Its Upcoming Joker DLC?

MarkJulian

Mar 25, 2024 03:03 PM

Horror

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL Starring THE SUICIDE SQUAD's David Dastmalchian Earns 100% Score On RT

MarkCassidy

Mar 17, 2024 09:03 PM

Suicide Squad

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

MarkCassidy

1 hour ago

Suicide Squad

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

MarkCassidy

2 hours ago

Latest Headlines

X-Men '97

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

JoshWilding

55 mins ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

MarkCassidy

1 hour ago

Suicide Squad

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

MarkCassidy

2 hours ago

X-Men '97

X-MEN '97 Recap: An Unbelievable Twist And Shocking Return Kick Off Three-Part Finale - SPOILERS

JoshWilding

4 hours ago

X-Men '97

X-MEN '97 Recap: "Tolerance Is Extinction - Part 1" Includes Some Amazing Marvel Universe Cameos - SPOILERS

JoshWilding

6 hours ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

Josh Brolin On Cable's DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Absence: "Marvel Is A Complex Labyrinth"

MarkCassidy

8 hours ago

Hot Headlines

133 comments

DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa Responds To Racist/Homophobic Backlash: "Turn Off The TV. Go And Touch Grass"

JoshWilding

2 days ago EST

131 comments

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

MarkCassidy

1 day ago EST

118 comments

Chris Hemsworth Says "I Became A Parody Of Myself" In Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

92 comments

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Reveals Full Look At Sam Wilson's Suit As Toys Highlight Red Hulk

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

89 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

X-MEN '97 Showrunner Breaks Down Tolerance Is Extinction And Reveals Whether That Was The Amazing [SPOILER]

More Cartoons & Animated ►

FORTNITE Heads To A Galaxy Far, Far Away With STAR WARS Crossover Event

More Anime & Manga ►

M3GAN 2.0 Casts AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno In Major Role

More Horror ►

MONKEY MAN Exclusive Interview With Mask Designer Eddie Yang; Dev Patel Film Now Available On Digital HD

More Action Movies & TV ►

AEW President Tony Khan Responds To Recent Criticisms From WWE Hall Of Famers Goldberg And Kevin Nash

More Pro Wrestling ►

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Gets An Exciting Production Update As Next STAR WARS Movie Draws Near

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

SUICIDE SQUAD: As David Ayer Gives Up On "Ayer Cut," Here's Everything You Need To Know From Leaked Script

David Ayer has finally acknowledged that the world will never see the "Ayer Cut" of 2016's Suicide Squad, and if you're still curious about what might have been, we're revisiting that leaked screenplay...

8. Killer Croc's History With Deadshot

7. Incubus' Defeat

6. Monster T's Original Fate

5. Joker Tries To Kill Harley Quinn

4. The Final Battle

3. Romance For Deadshot And Harley

2. A Very Different Ending

1. Post-Credits Scene Twist

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

Warner Bros. Discovery Admits SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Sales Fell Short Of Expectations

Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's AVENGELYNE Adaptation; POOR THINGS Scribe To Pen Script

SUPERMAN: Nathan Fillion On Why He's Perfectly Suited To Play GREEN LANTERN Guy Gardner

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Star Daniela Melchior On Ratcatcher's DCU Future: "I Can't Wait To Wake Her Up"

Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's AVENGELYNE Adaptation; POOR THINGS Scribe To Pen Script

SUPERMAN: Nathan Fillion On Why He's Perfectly Suited To Play GREEN LANTERN Guy Gardner

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Star Daniela Melchior On Ratcatcher's DCU Future: "I Can't Wait To Wake Her Up"

Will SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Turn Things Around With Its Upcoming Joker DLC?

LATE NIGHT WITH THE DEVIL Starring THE SUICIDE SQUAD's David Dastmalchian Earns 100% Score On RT

Warner Bros. Discovery Admits SUICIDE SQUAD: KILL THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Sales Fell Short Of Expectations

Popular Headlines

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

BLACK ADAM Star Dwayne Johnson DID Make Moves To Take Over DCEU; New Report Claims He Pees In Bottles On Set

RUMOR: Wesley Snipes' Return As BLADE Could Be Happening Much Sooner Than Expected - Possible SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Hi-Res Promo Art Reveals New Look At Logan's Suit And Wade Wilson's Weird Variants

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Reveals Full Look At Sam Wilson's Suit As Toys Highlight Red Hulk

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

X-MEN '97 Drops A Reveal Which Could Have Major Consequences For The Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Promo Art Recreates Classic Comic Cover; New Look At Dogpool Revealed

SHOGUN Star Anna Sawai Was Forced To Pass On Audition To Play Katana In SUICIDE SQUAD

X-MEN '97 Recap: An Unbelievable Twist And Shocking Return Kick Off Three-Part Finale - SPOILERS

X-MEN '97 Recap: "Tolerance Is Extinction - Part 1" Includes Some Amazing Marvel Universe Cameos - SPOILERS

Josh Brolin On Cable's DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Absence: "Marvel Is A Complex Labyrinth"

Hot Headlines

DOCTOR WHO Star Ncuti Gatwa Responds To Racist/Homophobic Backlash: "Turn Off The TV. Go And Touch Grass"

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Finally Unveils Harrison Ford's Red Hulk

Chris Hemsworth Says "I Became A Parody Of Myself" In Taika Waititi's THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER

CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD Promo Art Reveals Full Look At Sam Wilson's Suit As Toys Highlight Red Hulk

X-MEN: Could MUFASA Director Barry Jenkins Be A Contender To Helm MCU Reboot?

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

THE MANDALORIAN AND GROGU Gets An Exciting Production Update As Next STAR WARS Movie Draws Near

THE ACOLYTE Footage Leaks Online Ahead Of Its Debut With STAR WARS: THE PHANTOM MENACE This Weekend

FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA New Poster, TV Spots And Still Released As Press Tour Kicks Off In Sydney

REBEL MOON Extended Cut Gets New Title And Official R-Rating For "Gore, Sexual Content, & Graphic Nudity"

ALIEN: ROMULUS Still Gives Us A New Look At One Of The Movie's Xenomorphs

KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES Action-Packed Final Trailer Features Lots Of New Footage

Cartoons & Animated Features

X-MEN '97 Showrunner Breaks Down "Tolerance Is Extinction" And Reveals Whether That Was The Amazing [SPOILER]

SAUSAGE PARTY: FOODTOPIA - Prime Video's Sequel Series Gets A Suitably Salacious First Poster

X-MEN '97's Latest Episode Features An Intriguing Link To The MCU's Wider Multiverse Saga - SPOILERS

X-MEN '97 Spoilers: Bastion Enacts His Plan But There's A Huge Twist...And A Game-Changing Return

X-MEN '97 Features Some Huge Cameos...Including A Spectacular Marvel Superhero - SPOILERS

MY ADVENTURES WITH SUPERMAN Sets Season 2 Premiere Date With First Trailer & New Poster

Gaming

FORTNITE Heads To A Galaxy Far, Far Away With STAR WARS Crossover Event

STARFIELD Update Brings Improved Surface Maps, New Gameplay Options And More

Xbox Games Showcase Confirmed For June 9 Followed By Possible First Look At CALL OF DUTY

Team-Based Shooter STAR WARS: HUNTERS Sets A June Release Date

PALWORLD: More Pals Set To Arrive This Summer In Newly Teased Update

STARFIELD: SHATTERED SPACE Expansion Coming This Fall; Bethesda Teases Another New Update Soon

Anime & Manga

MY HERO ACADEMIA Shigaraki Voice Actor Teases Big Show Down With Star And Stripe In Season 7

DRAGON BALL: SPARKING! ZERO Trailer Reveals More Powerful Characters Joining The Roster

GUILTY GEAR -STRIVE- Reveals Slayer As Final Season 3 DLC Fighter

HATSUNE MIKU Is Coming To MAGIC: THE GATHERING SECRET LAIR

Star And Stripe Character Visual Revealed Ahead Of MY HERO ACADEMIA Season 7 Premiere

New ONE PIECE Prequel Novel For Roronoa Zoro Announced

Horror

M3GAN 2.0 Casts AHSOKA Star Ivanna Sakhno In Major Role

TERRIFIER 3: Art The Clown Is Up To His Old Tricks In First Official Promo Still

AVENGELYNE: Margot Robbie Eyeing Lead Role In Olivia Wilde's Comic Book Adaptation

FEAR STREET: PROM QUEEN - Return To Shadyside With First Official BTS Teaser

IN A VIOLENT NATURE Teaser Highlights Stellar Reviews Along With Terrifying New Footage

DEAD BOY DETECTIVES Features A Cameo From ANOTHER Member Of THE SANDMAN's Family - SPOILERS

Action Movies & TV

MONKEY MAN Exclusive Interview With Mask Designer Eddie Yang; Dev Patel Film Now Available On Digital HD

Tom Cruise's MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 8 Adds SEVERANCE Actor Tramell Tillman