‘Not every idea is a good idea’: ‘Suicide Squad’ director talks Joker’s controversial tattoo

Director David Ayer is 100 percent owning up to one of the most hated details found in the divisive 2016 film Suicide Squad.

The idea in question is the notoriously roasted “damaged” tattoo that Jared Leto’s Joker sports in the film on his forehead. As Ayer explained in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “I own the tattoo idea 100%.”

Ayer went on to explain that the original idea was for the tattoo to read “Blessed.” Still, he said the tattoo idea was his “choice” and that he regrets the decision.

“It created acrimony and division. Not every idea is a good idea. And I’ll just be in the corner here while the internet slaps me around for this post. 😅”

Recently, Ayer name-dropped newly appointed DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn in a Twitter post, saying the director-turned-executive told him his original version of Suicide Squad would see the light of day in some capacity at some point. Gunn notably helmed a sequel as writer-director to Ayer’s original, 2021’s The Suicide Squad.

Even after Ayer announced, it is still unclear whether his cut of the critically maligned 2016 film will truly see the light of day in the same vein as Zack Snyder’s Justice League. At the very least, Ayer debunked the claim his Suicide Squad cut would release before the beginning of Gunn’s DC Universe, the rebooted franchise that is set to kick off with 2025’s Superman: Legacy.

Like ZSJL, Suicide Squad was allegedly heavily meddled with after its completion due to studio interference to the point that it lacked the initially intended tone of the director. Ayer has even referenced deleted scenes, occasionally sharing clips on his Twitter account.

Regardless of whether or not we will ever get to see the Ayer cut of Suicide Squad, at least we can be assured that the director is owning up to aspects of the film that went wrong, for which he only has himself to blame.