Suicide Squad Star Jay Hernandez Hopeful for Ayer Cut Reveal at DC FanDome

Following the announcement that Zack Snyder’s Justice League was coming to HBO Max in 2021, it did not take long for fans to begin demanding the “Ayer Cut” of Suicide Squad. The film, which was considered a financial success at the time of its release but drew dreadful reviews, was released in 2016, and by 2018, it was pretty well-known that director David Ayer was not happy with the final cut of the movie. Whereas Zack Snyder’s Justice League was only an assembly cut, though, word is Ayer’s take on Suicide Squad was nearly complete before Warner Bros. lost faith in it and hired outside editors to finish it.

Unlike Justice League – which changed drastically during reshoots after Snyder had to step away due to a family tragedy – Ayer’s initial cut of Suicide Squad got as far as the test screening phase, and was seemingly met with a good response from test audiences. The film was eventually recut into what was ultimately released in theaters, reportedly due to changes suggested by Warner Bros. executives.

Those changes, it is generally understood, came in part as a knee-jerk response to the poor reception of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

In recent weeks, reports that an “Ayer Cut” of Suicide Squad could be set for some kind of official release have dripped out, but have not yet created the impossible-to-ignore volume of rumors that preceded the Zack Snyder’s Justice League announcement. But if you ask Jay Hernandez, who played the fan-favorite El Diablo in Suicide Squad, he’s got high hopes that fans hear something official in August’s DC FanDome event, a virtual convention where DC has promised an unparalleled slate of movie, TV, gaming, and publishing news.

Hernandez didn’t claim to have any inside information, but just replied “I hope so,” with a winking smiley face emoji,when someone asked about the possibility of Ayer Cut news at the event.

This certainly isn’t an official confirmation that the Ayer Cut is going to be released, but the fact that Warner Bros. is reportedly seriously considering it is certainly interesting. As Ayer has hinted on social media in the years since the film was released, his cut featured some wildly different character moments. These included a larger role for Jared Leto’s Joker, backstory for Slipknot, a wildly different ending for El Diablo, and a hookup between Harley Quinn and Deadshot.

Do you hope the “Ayer Cut” of Suicide Squad eventually becomes a reality? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!