The Suicide Squad star Idris Elba has laid out the differences between the film and its 2016 predecessor.

Speaking to NME on the day of the film’s release (July 30), Elba said that the differences ultimately come down to James Gunn and David Ayer’s contrasting approaches to the franchise.

• READ MORE: The Suicide Squad review: a bold and boisterous reunion with the DCEU’s best bad guys

“I think fans will appreciate that these are two great filmmakers who attacked it differently,” he said.

He added that he felt fans would “take some comfort in the fact that James Gunn is an absolute almanac for the DC world.”

“There is a real perspective that’s rooted in some authenticity there,” he said. “I think fans will really love to see that come alive.”

During the interview, Elba also revealed details of his character Bloodsport.

“He’s not as well known as some of the others in the Suicide Squad,” he said. “He’s a mercenary. He has a very strict military background. He’s famous for shooting Superman in the DC Universe, so he has a bad history. He’s a great character.”

Currently, The Suicide Squad has received more positive reviews than any other DC or Marvel film that has come before it.

In its four-star review, NME called the film “a bombastic, full-throttle romp that’s easy to follow whether you’re a DCEU stan or not.”

Elsewhere, Elba has teased a potential unlikely MCU return in the forthcoming Thor: Love And Thunder.

After speaking to Comicbook.com about The Suicide Squad, Elba was asked if there was any hope of a return for his Thor character – and whether he considered himself a “DC exclusive” actor now after “seemingly” dying in Marvel’s Infinity War.

“I think that I’m excited about the possibilities in the DC world,” Elba said, before playfully adding: “And I think the word of choice to make note of is the word ‘seemingly.’”