Suicide Squad director David Ayer takes full responsibility for the Joker‘s “damaged” tattoo, admitting that the design choice was a mistake.
Writing on his personal Twitter account, the filmmaker responded to a question regarding the origins of the tattoo and when it was originally pitched to be a part of Leto’s Joker. “I own the tattoo idea 100%. It was my choice. Original idea is it would say ‘Blessed’ and not ‘Damaged,'” Ayer wrote. “Now having said that — I regret that 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.”
Jokes On You
Ahead of Suicide Squad’s premiere in 2016, many fans expressed dissatisfaction with Joker’s aesthetic, largely due to the character’s non-traditional aesthetic that largely strayed from his previous depictions. Ayer has previously explained the choice to give The Clown Prince of Crime a forehead tattoo and grills, stating that both were a response to Batman beating The Joker after Robin‘s murder. This angle is never explicitly stated in the film, although Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice does allude to the Boy Wonder’s demise and the subsequent fallout.
The Joker’s design wasn’t the only thing fans criticized. Suicide Squad is widely regarded as one of the worst DC Universe installments, with critics slamming its awkward editing, poor script, and uninspired visuals. Ayer insists his movie was the victim of studio interference, stating that Warner Bros. recut and reshot the film he submitted to insert more humor into the story. Following the release of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, many fans are now rallying for what has been deemed “The Ayer Cut” in an effort to see the movie that the director insists he created.
Suicide Squad is available to stream on Max.
