Suicide Squad (2016)
- David Ayer originally wanted a completely different ending for the film, but test audiences preferred the one we see today.
- Many of the practical effects used in the climax were achieved without any CGI.
- The original script for Suicide Squad was written over a decade before production finally began in 2016.
Suicide Squad is a 2016 American superhero film directed by David Ayer, based on the DC Comics supervillain team of the same name. The film follows intelligence operative Amanda Waller, played by Viola Davis, who assembles a team of dangerous incarcerated supervillains β including Deadshot (Will Smith), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Killer Croc, Captain Boomerang, and Diablo β for a covert black ops mission in exchange for reduced sentences. The film became one of the most controversial major releases of 2016, with reports of significant studio interference during post-production.
After the darker tone of Batman v Superman received mixed reactions, Warner Bros. reportedly ordered extensive reshoots and re-editing to inject more humor and upbeat energy, resulting in a final product that many critics found tonally inconsistent. Despite harsh reviews, the film earned $746 million worldwide, buoyed by audience curiosity and a massive marketing campaign. Margot Robbie's scene-stealing performance as Harley Quinn became the film's most enduring legacy, transforming the character into a pop culture phenomenon and launching Robbie's own Harley Quinn-centered franchise.
Jared Leto's heavily tattooed, method-acting approach to the Joker divided audiences sharply, with much of his footage reportedly cut from the theatrical release. The film won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Suicide Squad served as a cautionary tale about the tension between directorial vision and studio mandates in franchise filmmaking, though it ultimately proved that even poorly reviewed superhero properties could generate massive returns.
