Suicide Squad director David Ayer is refuting reports that Jared Leto acted inappropriately toward his fellow cast members during the film's production. The show of support comes on the heels of Leto reaffirming his commitment to return as the Joker in future DC Extended Universe films.

Infamous for his devotion to "method acting," there were myriad reports of Leto acting very strangely during Suicide Squad's production. Will Smith claimed he and Leto never shared a word out of character during the film's production, and Leto reportedly sent some bizarre gifts to his cast mates, like dead pigs and sex toys. Some of his cast mates, like Margot Robbie, took his eccentricities in stride, while others, like Viola Davis, seemed exasperated by his strange behavior.

Related: Jared Leto’s Joker Expected in Suicide Squad 2

But now Leto's Suicide Squad director is coming to his defense. Via his Twitter account, David Ayer suggests Leto was nothing but professional and that some of his on set hijinks were overblown by the media.

While it's perfectly reasonable that Ayer would defend Leto, it's strange that he seems to be dismissing the stories of his on set behavior, as most of those stories came directly from the actor's fellow cast members during the film's press tour.

Regardless, this is an interesting time for both Ayer and Leto's Joker as the DCEU continues to map out its future. Leto will not be involved in the recently announced Joker origin movie, which is said to be the first of a series of DC films that take place outside of the DCEU's shared universe. Leto will presumably be onboard for both the Suicide Squad sequel and the recently announced Joker/Harley Quinn team up movie. And while Matt Reeves' The Batman will take place in the DCEU, it's unknown at this time if the Joker factors into his plans for the caped crusader.

That Joker/Harley movie may or may not be Gotham City Sirens, which was originally pitched as an adaptation of the comic book series of the same name, which featured Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, and Catwoman, and was slated to be directed by Ayer. Ayer's continued role in the DCEU has recently been brought into question. He's reportedly uninvolved in the Suicide Squad sequel, and reports have indicated he will eventually part ways with DC altogether, which he has cryptically refuted. For now, Ayer is still a vocal cheerleader of the DCEU and its stars, including its most polarizing figure in Leto's clown prince of crime.

Next: What Is The Future of Jared Leto’s Joker? 

Source: Twitter