Suicide Squad director David Ayer has revealed he regrets giving the Joker his 'Damaged' tattoo.
Discussing the film on Twitter, the filmmaker has been rather vocal about his attempt to bring the Suicide Squad to the big screen, and it turns out he regrets some of his more divisive decisions, including Joker's controversial tattoo.
“I own the tattoo idea 100%,” he said in a recent tweet. “It was my choice. Original idea is it would say ‘Blessed’ and not ‘Damaged’. Now having said that — I regret that decision. It created acrimony and division.”
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 16, 2023I own the tattoo idea 100%
It was my choice. Original idea is it would say “Blessed” and not “Damaged”
Now having said that — I regret that decision. It created acrimony and division.
See AlsoJared Leto's Suicide Squad Joker Tattoos ExplainedExpress Yourself: Why Tattoos Are an Awesome Form of Self-ExpressionCan Tattoos Be Classy? What You Need to KnowJoker Symbols, Allegory and Motifs | GradeSaverNot every idea is a good idea.
And I’ll just be in the corner here while the internet… https://t.co/8no7KQy1Oe
“Not every idea is a good idea,” he admitted.
Suicide Squad was released in 2016 and proved to be one of the DCEU’s most divisive movies. Starring Jared Leto in a minor role as the Joker, the film focussed on the titular squad’s mission to bring down metahuman threats, starting with Enchantress. However, it was Leto’s appearance as the iconic Batman villain that ruffled a few feathers, largely due to those tattoos.
In 2018, Ayer explained his thinking behind the 'Damaged' tattoo, saying "it was meant for Batman after he smashed Joker teeth for killing Jason Todd". But he admitted "some people found it alienating". "Originality and faithfulness to the canon are often at odds," Ayer went on. "Batman and Joker are my two favorite characters ever."
I like it. In my mind it was meant for Batman after he smashed Joker teeth for killing Jason Todd, some people found it alienating. Originality and faithfulness to the canon are often at odds. Batman and Joker are my two favorite characters ever. https://t.co/V0JjHa8rb9
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) September 24, 2018
Ayer also recently posted some previously unseen concept art that showcased Ayer’s “original intent” with the Joker.
Original intent pic.twitter.com/cQpn3NI3iG
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) August 10, 2023
“The idea was Enchantress was altering the reality around her and changing the environment,” he said of the concept art. “The Joker image is a simple take on that concept,” he added, implying that the skulls seen floating around the Joker were conjured by Enchantress.
Ayer also revealed his original idea behind making Enchantress the villain. “She was of non-Earth origin,” he said in a tweet. “The original SS storyline was she was under control of a motherbox.”
However, this isn’t what transpired in the movie, as Ayer explained this was “taken off the table”, presumably due to the motherboxes becoming a major plot point in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Ayer has long claimed his original version of the film was superior. “Have you ever had an experience in life that didn't [turn out] the way you wanted, that dragged you, that made you rethink everything?” he said. “I have.”
He also said that DC’s James Gunn has supported the release of the “Ayer Cut”, the long-rumored version of Suicide Squad that’s closer to Ayer’s original vision.
“All I know is my unseen film plays much better than the studio release,” he said. “The interest in my cut being shown seems real and organic. And Gunn told me it would have it's time to be shared. He absolutely deserves to launch his DC universe without more drama about old projects. In a way I'm chained to this thing. I'm riding a tiger here and navigating this situation the best I can. Life is a very strange journey.”
IGN’s Suicide Squad review gave it 5.9 and said: “Suicide Squad is a decidedly different flavor than Batman v Superman. It goes for subversive, funny, and stylish, and it succeeds wildly during the first act. But then the movie turns into something predictable and unexciting. Suicide Squad is more like writer-director David Ayer’s flat-footed Fury than his razor-sharp Training Day (which he wrote), making for another unsatisfying entry in the DCEU.”
Want to read more about Suicide Squad? Check out whether the Ayer Cut will get released as well as how Suicide Squad originally set up the Justice League movie.
Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.
