As soon as Suicide Squad made The Joker and Harley Quinn even more of a household couple in the DC Extended Universe, it was inevitable that the two would share a film together. And now with this unknown film a priority in the DCEU, a director and writer are obviously needed to get the project off the ground. Well tonight, that project is in luck, as they're apparently talking to two candidates who may land double duty together: This Is Us' Glenn Ficarra and John Requa!
The news broke this evening from THR, as the duo are named as the current top candidates for the jobs of writing and directing this untitled film. Interestingly enough, this news also came with a tidbit of information which states the project was going to be directed originally by Suicide Squad's David Ayer. The project focuses solely on The Joker and Harley Quinn's relationship, and both Jared Leto and Margot Robbie are returning to play their roles. This is particularly interesting with Robbie on board, as she previously worked with Ficarra and Requa in both the Will Smith vehicle Focus and the Tina Fey dramedy Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. However, the duo's further film credentials should hint as to the sort of film we should expect.
When it comes to the film canon of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, two titles jump out that would make a perfect mash-up for this Joker and Harley Quinn movie: Crazy Stupid Love and I Love You, Phillip Morris. In the case of the former, the snappy comedy and love story-driven plot helped drive that film along and into the hearts of numerous fans. But in the case of the latter Jim Carrey-centered vehicle, the themes of obsession, con artistry and escaping incarceration are all present and accounted for, and with a dark comedy vibe.
So with those two films standing out in the Ficarra/Requa canon, it would seem that this project is hypothetically going into good hands. Though it should also be noted that Deadline has labeled this project flat out as the upcoming Gotham City Sirens project, which would seem to hint that Harley and The Joker will be the main focus of the film. What this means for the other two Sirens, Catwoman and Poison Ivy, is to be left to fate.
Of course, with all future DC project announcements, no doubt this question is on many of your minds: is it a DCEU canon project or more of a project for the hypothetically named DC Elseworlds banner, which has been developed to make non-canon stand alone films. Well, if the casting of Jared Leto and Margot Robbie didn't tip it off enough, this film will take place in the DCEU proper, just like Suicide Squad. So there's a chance that we might see Ben Affleck's Batman ruining another date night for these two, only this time with some more possibly humorous results. This project will also reportedly arrive after Suicide Squad 2.
While some might blanche at the idea, the Joker and Harley Quinn's crime comedy/romance project sounds like another great stride taken by DC and Warner Bros to distance themselves from the typical Marvel mold. Should they land the team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa to bring the project to life, it sounds like they have the pedigree to make the right type of movie for this clown couple. The untitled Joker/Harley Quinn film currently has no production start date or release date in mind, but stay tuned to us here at CinemaBlend, as we'll report the latest breaking news as it develops.
