Which Suicide Squad Movie Is Better?
3. Mass Appeal
It's easy to forget that, despite receiving predominantly negative reviews from critics and an underwhelming "B+" CinemaScore from audiences, Suicide Squad 2016 still made almost $750 million worldwide against a $175 million budget.
It clearly worked for a lot of people, and inarguably helped catapult Harley Quinn even further into mainstream pop-culture - she's been a Halloween costume mainstay ever since.
But there's also no denying the film's infamous reputation today, and while there's virtually no chance of Gunn's movie outgrossing Ayer's - due to the pandemic, its day-and-date HBO Max release, and its R rating - one suspects it's going to be enjoyed by a far broader swath of casual audiences.
Though Gunn's gory action might turn off a small portion of viewers, his more crowd-pleasing approach ensures The Suicide Squad is going to likely endure as a classic superhero movie for the masses.
WINNER: 2016 might've put more immediate butts in seats, but 2021 has the staying power to be fondly remembered years, even decades from now.