David Ayer admits making 'Suicide Squad' was ''rough and tough''.

The 49-year-old director lost his confidence as a filmmaker after 'Suicide Squad' was savaged by critics and he found working on such a huge blockbuster wasn't a hugely pleasant experience.

He said:'' I got some supercharged muscles on 'Suicide Squad', from making a film so big, but it was a rough experience. A tough experience.

''It became a bit of a slog at the end.

''It was an incredible financial success but I got flayed by the critics and that's scary, that's painful. And it shook my confidence as a storyteller.''

But David is now feeling more secure and at ease with himself after working on his new movie for Netflix, 'Bright'.

He added: I'm very proud of 'Bright'. It's my voice, it's who I am. And it was great to get my voice back.''

And the director - who has previously spoken about how he wishes he'd made 'Suicide Squad' differently - suggested the problems with DC blockbuster were not entirely his fault.

Asked when he felt he had lost his ''voice'' on 'Suicide Squad', he told Empire magazine: ''I gotta be cautious on how I answer things like that.

''If someone walks into a bank and shoots it up under your name, it's under your name. What are you gonna do?''

Ayer previously admitted he wished he'd placed Jared Leto's Joker at the heart of 'Suicide Squad'.

He tweeted: ''Wish I had a time machine.

''I'd make Joker the main villain and engineer a more grounded story. I have to take the good and bad and learn from it. I love making movies and I love DC [Comics].

''I'm a high school dropout and used to paint houses for a living. I'm lucky to have the job I have. I have to give the characters the stories and plots they deserve. Real talk.''