Why do DC films keep having flops? David Ayer has his opinion
The director of 2016’s Suicide Squad answers a question from The Hollywood Reporter.
“Where have the DC fans gone?” This is the question asked by the Hollywood Reporter in an article taking stock of DC Studios and its restructuring with james gunn at its head and the ouster ofHenry Cavill of the role of Superman. The article details how it is now perilous for a fan to venture into the DC Cinematic Universe which no longer really has any consistency or direction between its sequels and its reboots. Which could explain why DC Comics adaptations have not been successful in theaters for some time.
David Ayer, the director of Suicide Squad from 2016, who recently returned on Jon Bernthal’s podcast about the betrayal he felt when Warner Bros. reassembled his film to make it “a fucking comedy”, also reacted on X/Twitter to the question asked by the Hollywood Reporter. “Easy. Let the directors have their vision. Don’t operate out of fear. Be bold. See what works. Don’t follow the market. DC has always had the best characters in their publications. The label is dark, intense and thoughtful.” It is difficult not to see here an almost personal response addressed to the direction taken on its Suicide Squad who would, according to Ayerled to its failure.
Easy solve. Let film makers have their vision. Don’t operate from fear. Be daring. Look at what worked. Don’t chase the market.
DC has always had the best characters in publishing. Dark intense and thoughtful is the brand. 🙌🏼 https://t.co/JPbcCjtths
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 26, 2023
Seven years later, the director is still big on the potato, and regularly responds to Internet users who challenge him on Twitter following his new statements. Accused by a YouTuber of having lied at the time, since David Ayer defended the film during the promo, he explained that he did not have much choice, and recalled that he had suffered a lot from the violence of the critics who had accompanied the release of Suicide Squadand of which he still keeps screenshots!
“It’s showbiz, baby. You have to go out there and sell the product no matter what. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t die inside (…) When the critical embargo was lifted, I was having breakfast in New York with the family and it made my stomach knot. I knew my life would be different after that (…) The reviews were so personal and filled with vitriol. And seven years later, the vitriol continues. You can imagine my frustration. After a while I could no longer keep quiet. I had to tell my truth.”
It’s show biz baby 🙌🏼
Gotta go out there and sell the product no matter what.
Doesn’t mean I wasn’t dying inside doing it.
We were all incredibly hurt; the cast, the producers; when the embargo lifted on the reviews.
I was having breakfast in New York with my family when… https://t.co/q2R7BmEvaV pic.twitter.com/d7K8jfG1OJ
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 29, 2023
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