David Ayer, director of Suicide Squad, speaks out about the film's mixed reception, saying he remains "proud of it." Suicide Squad came out in 2016, when Warner Bros. was just beginning to establish its DC Extended Universe, or DCEU. The only films released before Ayer's were Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The movie brought together a group of supervillains hired by the government, including popular characters The Joker (Jared Leto), Deadshot (Will Smith), and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). Robbie will, of course, reprise her role in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), due out next week.

Ayer's Suicide Squad shouldn't be confused with director James Gunn's upcoming The Suicide Squad, which is expected next year. Ayer recently revealed that he was offered the opportunity to direct the film's sequel but ultimately passed. He also clarified the relationship between his movie and The Suicide Squad, saying "it's not a sequel it's a reinvention." Ayer also explained that "some characters and elements will be used," but again reiterated that Gunn was "reinventing the universe." Returning characters include Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, and Rick Flag.

Related: Every Difference in Suicide Squad's Extended Cut

The excitement over The Suicide Squad has caused many to take another look at Ayer's movie, for better or worse. In an interaction on Twitter, Ayer defended Suicide Squad. It began when a user suggested Ayer should "apologize for helming" the film, to which Ayer responded "Never ever ever my dude. I'm proud of it for all it's flaws." It's worth noting that, despite the mixed critical reception, Suicide Squad did very well at the box office, making it far from a failure. Check out Ayer's tweet standing up for Suicide Squad below:

The DCEU has come a long way since Ayer's movie, with four films released since Suicide Squad. Currently, fan focus is on Birds of Prey, with many also looking ahead to the long-awaited Wonder Woman sequel, Wonder Woman 1984, which will drop this summer. Hype is also building for The Batman, which recently began production. That film will see Twilight star Robert Pattinson don the cape. All told, fans of the DCEU have a lot to look forward to in coming years.

Ayer's comments aren't that surprising, especially because he's maintained a healthy attitude toward Suicide Squad since its release. In his remarks about the continuity between his film and Gunn's, he was quick to mention how excited he is to see what his fellow director does with the franchise. With so much focus on The Suicide Squad, and even more expected in the next several months, it's nice to see that Ayer is still proud of the film that started it all.

More: Suicide Squad: David Harbour's Dexter Tolliver Is A Comic Villain

Source: David Ayer