Following 2016’s Suicide Squad, it seemed like was constantly reported or rumored that DC had another Harley Quinn-centric spinoff film in the works. Margot Robbie’s character was the clear breakout in David Ayer’s film and she will clearly be a major presence in the DCEU going forward. One movie she may not be a part of however, is ironically Suicide Squad 2.
Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is not expected to return for the sequel to Suicide Squad, according to Forbes’ Mark Hughes. The sequel is being treated more as a soft reboot or a relaunch of the Suicide Squad as opposed to a direct sequel to David Ayer’s film. As such, it may avoid referencing the events of the first film and is expected to have a new cast of characters.
Guardians of the Galaxy’s James Gunn is on board to write and direct the film, which is expected to take a different approach to the property and will thus bear the title The Suicide Squad as opposed to Suicide Squad 2.
It’s too early to know whether the cast for James Gunn’s movie will be entirely comprised of new faces, or if some of the characters from the first film will carry over. But if they do, it looks like Harley Quinn will probably not be among them.
This is a fairly big deal considering that Suicide Squad, while panned critically, was very successful financially with Harley Quinn becoming the fan favorite character and the clear standout. Without her, The Suicide Squad will have to succeed and draw in audiences on the strength of the other characters, as well as James Gunn’s name.
We recently talked about who should and shouldn’t return for Suicide Squad 2, and it was CB writer Sarah’s belief that Harley Quinn is the one character that has to return for the sequel, given her popularity and how she was the heart of the first film.
There is also the fact that by the time The Suicide Squad hits theaters, Margot Robbie’s character will have also appeared in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). So her profile and fan investment will have only risen and her inclusion in Suicide Squad 2 could only help the developing project.
However, it seems that DC wants to pretend that Suicide Squad didn’t happen, and give James Gunn a completely blank slate with which to work for it the same magic he did for Marvel with the Guardians of the Galaxy films. Therefore it would kind of make sense for Harley Quinn not to return.
It is too early to definitively say who will and who won’t be in Suicide Squad 2, so it is possible that James Gunn’s script will include her. But these reports will give the fandom reason to pause.
Although Harley Quinn is not expected to return for Suicide Squad 2, fear not because DC is still very much in the Harley Quinn business. The Joker and Harley Quinn movie has apparently been discarded, along with Jared Leto’s solo Joker movie, but Harley still has Birds of Prey and who knows what will happen with Gotham City Sirens. She’ll be around, but she’s on to new things and may not be returning to the Suicide Squad.
The Suicide Squad arrives in theaters on August 6, 2021. For movies to keep you entertained until then, check out our 2019 Release Schedule.
