Suicide Squad didn’t make as much money as Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and wasn’t as critically admired as Wonder Woman, and it lacked the CGI mustache controversy of Justice League, but there’s one thing it has that the other films in the DC Extended Universe don’t: an Oscar. (Never forget.) But despite winning more Academy Awards than Taxi Driver, Suicide Squad director David Ayer (and everyone who saw it) has some issues with his own movie.
In response to a Twitter user who tweeted, “Watched suicide squad the other night on HBO & genuinely enjoyed it” (there was also the obligatory “it was for the fans, not the critics” burn), Ayer responded, “Yeah it was a big fun silly movie. It could have been a bigger success had I done it a little different. But it did great and made an impression.” When someone else suggested that the Joker should have been the film’s villain, the Bright director agreed, writing, “Believe me. I agonize over this. Yes. Joker should have been main bad guy.”
Suicide Squad has a lot of problems — it was too long, too trashy, too proud of its depravity; Margot Robbie was good, though! — but Ayer is correct that the Joker, not Enchantress, should have been the Big Bad. Maybe not Jared Leto’s edgelord Joker, but a less Hot Topic-y version of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Ayer can try again with Gotham City Sirens.
Believe me. I agonize over this. Yes. Joker should have been main bad guy.
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) November 26, 2017