The DCEU’s plans for Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn haven’t gone exactly how the franchise or studio Warner Bros. would have hoped, although none of the blame can be placed at the actress’ feet when she’s hugely committed to the role and has done a phenomenal job so far living up to the expectations that come with bringing such a firm fan favorite into live-action.
Suicide Squad had many problems, but Harley wasn’t one of them, while the behind the scenes issues that dogged David Ayer’s antihero ensemble caused a snowball effect that saw Robbie’s planned outings in Gotham City Sirens and a spinoff opposite Jared Leto’s Joker shelved, before Birds of Prey ultimately rose from those ashes.
Cathy Yan’s blockbuster has already become a cult classic, but it flopped at the box office, so The Suicide Squad will no doubt be pivotal in determining the former Harleen Quinzel’s long-term trajectory in the shared universe. James Gunn may have teased that almost everyone will die, but Robbie is taking top billing and there’s still money to be made from her association with the character, so it’s a safe bet she’ll survive.
In fact, we’ve now heard from our sources – the same ones who told us Ben Affleck was returning as Batman in The Flash long before it was confirmed – that DC Films want to make Harley Quinn more like Deadpool, in terms of breaking the fourth wall and leaning into her irreverent sense of humor. Birds of Prey already ticked those boxes, of course, and she’s much better off with her own personality instead of trying to ape what the competition are doing, but we all know Warner Bros. will staunchly refuse to learn from any mistakes, even if the possibility of another solo effort is more remote than ever.