Suicide Squad may not have been the four-quadrant success Warner Bros. had hoped, but with a final box office tally in excess of $745 million, the Powers That Be have spun out multiple projects based on the freaks and geeks comprising Task Force X.
A direct sequel is officially on the cards, after Gavin O’Connor (The Accountant) pipped Mel Gibson and Jaume Collet-Serra at the post, while we understand Warner has also drawn up plans for Gotham City Sirens and Joker and Harley Quinn, an embryonic spinoff centering on the fiery, “messed up” love affair brewing between the two DC icons.
Yes, the Clown Prince of Crime and his demented Puddin’ will soon anchor their own offshoot, with Jared Leto (Blade Runner 2049) and Margot Robbie (I, Tonya) back on board to reprise their Suicide Squad anti-heroes (“We’re bad guys! It’s what we do”). Behind the lens, Glenn Ficarra and John Requa have entered negotiations to write, direct, and produce Joker and Harley Quinn, and while promoting Goodbye Christopher Robin, Robbie spoke to ComingSoon.net about reuniting with Ficarra and Requa – the directing pair helmed Focus and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot – along with the unconventional love story in store.
Having name-dropped Natural Born Killers as an inspiration, DC fans already have an inkling of what to expect from Joker and Harley Quinn and here, Robbie offered up a handful of new clues about what’s in store, including the possibility of reteaming with Glenn Ficarra and John Requa.
I heard that too. They’re great! It’s fun working with a directing duo, and I love them. I’ve obviously done two films with them so I think they’re just brilliant. I’m personally a sucker for a love story. In any iteration. I think people enjoy seeing two characters who, in Harley and Joker’s case, would die for one another. It’s kind of romantic in a messed up way.
Joker and Harley Quinn has purportedly been placed on the back-burner to give Gavin O’Connor a clear shot at Suicide Squad 2, which is tentatively slated for a production start mid-way through 2018. Gotham City Sirens, on the other hand, is still in search of an official release window.