It’s well understood by now that David Ayer’s Suicide Squad turned out very differently from how the director originally planned, and more than two years after the commercially successful and critically panned flick first reached cinemas, we’re still learning of new ways in which the eventual release strayed from the filmmaker’s initial vision.
This latest development comes courtesy of Ayer himself, who confirmed via Twitter what previously released concept art implied – that Steppenwolf, boom tubes, and Parademons might have all featured in the film – before explaining how the subsequent Justice League forced a change of plans.
“Enchantress was under the control of a mother box and Steppenwolfe was prepping an invasion with a boom tube. Had to lose that then the JL story arcs evolved.”
Since this version of the feature will never actually exist, there’s no telling whether the Bright helmsman could’ve come out with a better movie if he’d only been given his way, but at the the very least, this is just one more example of the messiness created in Warner Bros.’ attempts to launch their own Marvel-esque cinematic universe.
Indeed, while the interconnectivity of the MCU has helped create a loyal audience for the saga, the links between DCEU features have if anything proven to be a burden, as each release is forced to compromise in order to account for the events of less-than-beloved works like Justice League. And after Zack Snyder’s film failed to provide the universe with its triumphant Avengers moment at the box office, it comes as no surprise to hear reports that the franchise will largely focus on standalone outings from here on out.
Even the upcoming Suicide Squad sequel is being hailed as a fresh start in some circles, as Warner continues in their attempts to build a sustainable franchise on some shaky foundations. But first, Aquaman will be aiming to give Arthur Curry a post-Justice League rebirth when the film hits theaters on December 21st.
