We Talked SUICIDE SQUAD with Writer-Director David Ayer

The latest entry in the Warner Bros./DC cinematic saga is SUICIDE SQUAD. The film features some of the most beloved comic-book villains trying to work together against a powerful threat.

Someone who has a lot of experience with tough antiheroes is writing-director David Ayer (Fury, End of Watch). Recently, I had the pleasure of asking him about his experience bringing this unique project to life, and more.

Can you talk about the challenge of making these weird and villainous characters relatable?

They are still people, human beings. For everything that the world says about them, they still are a man or a woman with a heart. You have to show the audience their personalities and that they are real people. That’s what this movie is really about: They have been told that they are bad, but if they can come together they can do something amazing. At the beginning they are in pain and isolated, and by the end they have chemistry and love for each other.

How was it crafting this version of Harley Quinn?

Characters always start on a page, the script. If you look at the comics, there is a spectrum where you can choose from. There are a lot of versions of her. What we did was a lot of research, reading everything about her. Margot [Robbie] talked to a psychiatrist, went to a hospital, and was in touch with things that Harley would have experienced in her life. She makes it look so easy to play this character, but there was a lot of work for an actor. She did an incredible job.

To play The Joker, Jared Leto famously very much “went method.” Did you call him Mr. J? How was that relationship on set?

Well, in private I had to talk to him to have a Director-actor relationship. He came very early on and was brave to tackle a very well known character. One that has been portrayed amazingly in so many movies. He really delivers his sole in that role. On set everyone would call him Mr. J. He looked very intimidating. You could feel that the other cast members got really quite when he was around. I never shut up.

How was it for you to direct a renowned director like Ben Affleck?

I will be honest. I was very nervous, for a couple reasons: One, I have Batman in my set. I thought that that was insanely cool, like a childhood dream. And two, Ben Affleck is a very talented actor and an award-winning director. But it was interesting because he is a very gracious guy. He was able to separate his director personality from his actor personality. I never really met the director, I met Ben Affleck the actor, who was always ready to work and contribute to the film. It was a lot of fun to work with him.

Two-part question here. What upcoming DC film are you the most interested in watching, and what super hero would you pick to direct?

Wow! How do you pick? I am very interested in seeing Wonder Woman. But I can’t wait to see Flash, Aquaman, JLA… These are all characters that I grew up with and truly love. And Ben Affleck will do a Batman story that it isn’t an origin story, or anything like there is out there. What super hero would I like to direct? I guess that has to be Superman. That’s really the crown jewel of the DC Cinematic Universe. I think that is a fascinating character.

SUICIDE SQUAD is now playing in theaters nationwide.

It feels good to be bad… Assemble a team of the world’s most dangerous, incarcerated Super Villains, provide them with the most powerful arsenal at the government’s disposal, and send them off on a mission to defeat an enigmatic, insuperable entity. U.S. intelligence officer Amanda Waller has determined only a secretly convened group of disparate, despicable individuals with next to nothing to lose will do. However, once they realize they weren’t picked to succeed but chosen for their patent culpability when they inevitably fail, will the Suicide Squad resolve to die trying, or decide it’s every man for himself?