With Suicide Squad set to hit cinemas this Friday, The Hollywood Reporter has posted a rather interesting article detailing the behind-the-scenes drama on the latest chapter of the DC Extended Universe.
According to the report, Warner Bros. chief Kevin Tsujihara set an ambitious release date for the film, which left director David Ayer just six weeks to deliver a script, and the studio had already signed several big deals with branding and merchandising partners, meaning the option of pushing the film back was off the table.
Studio executives were apparently nervous about the project from the start, and the negative response to Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice certainly didn’t help matters, with a source suggesting that Tsujihara “was really pissed about the damage to the brand”.
SEE ALSO: It’s come to this: Fans petition to shut down Rotten Tomatoes following mixed Suicide Squad reviews
Turning to the well-publicised reshoots, it turns out that Warner felt the movie “didn’t deliver on the fun, edgy tone promised in the strong teaser trailer for the film,” leading to two competing cuts: one from Ayer, and a lighter version by the studio, which was produced with assitance from Trailer Park, the company who cut the trailer. Both versions were screened for audience feedback and “a very common-ground place” was found, which favoured the studio version and also required the expensive reshoots.
Despite the alleged drama behind-the-scenes, director Ayer and Warner Bros. production president Greg Silverman released a statement which reads: “This was an amazing experience. We did a lot of experimentation and collaboration along the way. But we are both very proud of the result. This is a David Ayer film, and Warners is proud to present it.”
Despite mixed reviews, Suicide Squad is tracking solid box office – with an August record looking likely – however, THR’s source claims that the film will need to do Batman v Superman-levels of business to be deemed a success, suggesting it will need to earn between $750 and $800 million to break even.
SEE ALSO: David Ayer responds to the mixed reviews for Suicide Squad
It feels good to be bad…Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?
SEE ALSO: Follow all of our DC Extended Universe coverage here
Suicide Squad hits theaters on August 5th 2016 and sees David Ayer (Fury) directing a cast that includes Will Smith (Focus) as Deadshot, Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club) as The Joker, Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street) as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney (Terminator Genisys) as Captain Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman (RoboCop) as Rick Flag, Viola Davis (The Help) as Amanda Waller, Cara Delevingne (Paper Towns) as Enchantress, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Thor: The Dark World) as Killer Croc, Ray Olubowale (Resident Evil: Afterlife) as King Shark, Jay Hernandez (Hostel) as El Diablo, Adam Beach (Flags of Our Fathers) as Slipknot, Jim Parrack (Fury) as Johnny Frost, Ben Affleck (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) as Batman, newcomer Karen Fukuhara as Katana, Common (Selma) as Monster T, Ike Barinholtz (The Mindy Project) as Captain Griggs and Scott Eastwood (The Longest Ride) as Lieutenant ‘GQ’ Edwards.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=Ki3o_rmuMR8
Originally published August 4, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.
