David Ayer shouted out "f**k Marvel" as he introduced 'Suicide Squad' at the film's world premiere in New York City on Monday night (01.08.16).
The director was getting ready to screen his DC Comics anti-hero movie at the Beacon Theater when a fan in the audience blurted out an anti-Marvel insult prompting him to blast DC's long-time comic book rival and big screen competitor.
However, rather than fan the flames of war between fans of the two companies, Ayer took to Twitter to apologise for his remark admitting he got "caught up in the moment" and assured everyone he respects the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
He tweeted: "Sorry about getting caught up in the moment and saying f*ck Marvel. Someone said it. I echoed. Not cool. Respect for my brother filmmakers."
Ayer was joined at the event by the cast of the film, with stars like Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie, Jai Courtney and Cara Delevigne, Joel Kinnaman and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje all walking the carpet.
Will - who plays Deadshot - was more diplomatic about the wider superhero genre and stated what he loved most about making 'Suicide Squad' was that it is a celebration of "diversity" because of the eclectic cast and characters.
He said: "What I love about working with this group, as you see up on this stage, it's a rainbow. It's all races, creeds and colours. It's the diversity that this country is supposed to be about."
Praising Ayer's work on the project, he added: "I've made a lot of movies, and some of them you can't even count as movies. David Ayer said something that was really interesting: He said it's not a movie of good versus evil, it's a movie of bad versus evil, and this is one of the baddest casts in the whole damn world right here."
'Suicide Squad' follows the group of incarcerated baddies as they are assembled to form a special black ops team to carry out a highly dangerous mission for a secret US government agency.
The Warner Bros. Pictures movie hits cinemas on August 5.
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