Right up until the film’s arrival on March 25, all eyes in the comic book world were trained on Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, DC and Warner Bros.’ titanic clash that brought together three bona fide icons in Bats, the Man of Steel and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman.
Anticipation for Zack Snyder’s blockbuster rarely strayed from a fever-pitch, and by comparison, Suicide Squad read like a obscure afterthought – an exercise in risk-taking after the crowd-pleaser of Dawn of Justice. That’s something David Ayer acknowledged in a recent interview with JoBlo, describing his anti-hero spinoff as the “cool little brother” releasing under the grand shadow of Batman V Superman.
Imagine his surprise, then, when his ragtag crew of oddballs emerged as the most-anticipated movie of the year, particularly in the fallout of Batman V Superman and its lowly reception.
“I think the pressure is always to make a good movie, and in this day and age you have to expect the pressure. We kind of started out as the cool little brother, and now there’s definitely a lot of scrutiny, but they’re doing amazing things over there. Geoff Johns really has a handle on where this universe is going. A lot of talented directors, it’s going to be a beautiful thing. I’m pretty confident, and I’m proud to be one of the ships in this big fleet that’s coming at the world.”
That pressure has now thrust Suicide Squad square into the limelight, but in reflecting on Zack Snyder’s tentpole, David Ayer leapt to the defense of Dawn of Justice believing it to be a “stunning movie.”
“I liked it a lot. I love Zack; he is probably the biggest fan of DC Comics. He has an incredible passion in a very specific way, a specific take on it. He’s a smart guy, and I think he heard everybody, he heard them loud and clear, and you grow and you evolve. I thought it was a stunning movie, absolutely stunning. I wish I could get some of those shots in the can. The guy’s an amazing visualist.”
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice recently rolled out the Ultimate Edition of Zack Snyder’s superhero tentpole. As for Suicide Squad, it’s slated to land on August 5.
