DC’s upcoming Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn) is set to wrap filming next April, and its screenwriter is confident that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn won’t be in anyone’s shadow. Christina Hodson wrote the 2018 film Bumblebee and teamed up with director Cathy Yan for Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn).

In 2016, DC released the third movie of the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), Suicide Squad. Armed with a $175 million budget, director David Ayer (Fury, Bright) helmed the story about a secret government agency that teams up a pack of supervillains in order to save the world. The original Suicide Squad appeared in the 1959 comic The Brave and the Bold, and the DC adaptation is based on John Ostrander’s DC Comics series published from 1987 to 1997. In the 2016 film, Robbie, an Australian actress, appears as Dr. Harleen Quinzel aka Harley Quinn, a character associated with The Joker who first emerged in Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995). For Birds of Prey, Robbie will reprise her role as Harley Quinn, with Mary Elizabeth Winstead starring as Helena Bertinelli aka Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance aka Black Canary and Ewan McGregor starring as Black Mask.

In a recent interview with Variety, Birds of Prey’s screenwriter discusses Bumblebee and Harley Quinn’s “emancipation.” According to Hodson, Robbie’s evolved character will be accepted by fans because she is “such a cool, bold, fun, great character” and that “she doesn’t have to be in anyone’s shadow.” Hodson compares the “intelligent” but “crazy” Quinn to her own personality, stating, “Harley just feels like my crazy alter ego. When I’m feeling nuts, that’s what Harley is.” Hodson also discusses backlash over Birds of Prey’s extended title, but notes that she doesn’t see the comments because she’s not on social media. 

Last month, Birds of Prey cast Sharp Objects’ Chris Messina as DC Comics villain Victor Zsasz, thus filling out the lineup as a whole. Shortly before, Robbie stated that Birds of Prey “isn’t very serious” during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, while confirming the film’s official title. The Harley Quinn co-creator Paul Dini has been on record about his approval of the film’s title, and it’s been reported that Robbie’s character may be without her tattoos as seen in Suicide Squad. The rumor is based on the idea that the re-invented Harley Quinn may need a new look.

While we’re still a long way from Birds of Prey’s 2020 theatrical release date, Robbie fans will be able to see her as Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood later this summer.

More: Screen Rant’s 50 Most Anticipated Movies of 2019

Source: Variety

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