Suicide Squad: David Ayer ‘Went to the Mat’ for Diablo Against Studio

comingsoon.net:

The director of 2016’s, David Ayer, has been posting new information about the production of the movie, including how he fought for the El Diablo character.

Actor Jay Hernandez, who played El Diablo, tweeted that he was frustrated that the studio chose to kill the Mexican character and used fire to do so. The director responded saying that the studio wanted to “rip more out,” and that he had “went to the mat” for the character.

They wanted to rip more out. I went to the mat for Diablo. https://t.co/xokyRCBP3B

Following a Twitter thread that accused him of using stereotypes with the El Diablo character, Ayer confirmed another user’s tweet that said the director grew up in South Central Los Angeles. Ayer stated, “I’m a whiteboy who grew up in Chicano spaces and reps Raza. Youngsters these days want to gatekeep. I earned my stripes.”

This is what’s up right here. A lot of it is I’m a whiteboy who grew up in Chicano spaces and reps Raza. Youngsters these days want to gatekeep. I earned my stripes. ?? https://t.co/JbYIGcPEEP

Finally, Ayer explained the choice of having El Diablo accidentally kill his family with his powers, likening it to “when someone drunk drives and kills people they love.” He described the two situations as “intentional but preventable,” and said that he had seen “a lot of mayhem.”

And for me the killing his family part was like when someone drunk drives and kills people they love. Not intentional but preventable. I seen a lot a lot of mayhem. https://t.co/3ZrjuNgMNs

 was directed by David Ayer and released in 2016. Ayer has said before that his cut of the movie was very different from what ended up in theaters, while editor David Hickman has said that it was supposed to be a “much darker” film overall.

I