The DC Extended Universe has gotten a bit of a makeover during the last few years, and it will only continue with its latest installment. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad promises to improve upon its panned 2016 predecessor by fixing what didn't work and maintaining the elements that did. This includes some of the spectacular casting choices, like Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. Now, the actress has revealed just how her character’s relationship with the Joker has changed from the original Suicide Squad to James Gunn’s upcoming reimagining.
There is plenty that James Gunn is changing for his big-screen take on Task Force X, including bringing in a number of new characters and big-name actors. While Jared Leto’s the Joker is not set to return, Margot Robbie still explained that her fan-favorite character's mindset and motivations will differ as they relate to the Clown Prince of Crime. Here's what the Birds of Prey actress said in an interview with Toronto Sun:
I think in the first Suicide Squad film she had a certain confidence and cockiness, knowing that she had the protection of the Joker. She was like, ‘I’ll go on this mission, and he’ll get me out of here in a second’ … that was kind of her prerogative on that film. Then in Birds of Prey it was, ‘Oh shit, it’s a scary, cold world. Maybe I can’t do it.’ In this film, time has passed, it doesn’t directly link to either of those films, but it’s not something that Harley is wrestling with anymore. She’s not waiting for Mr. J to show up and she’s not wondering if she can do it on her own. She knows.
Harley Quinn is certainly a badass in her own right, and she has proven that she can get things done on her own. It sounds like we are going to see some of the attitude of a proven warrior in the new imagining of The Suicide Squad, and it'll be nice to see a somewhat fresh version of Quinn.
Maybe it’s honestly a good thing we won’t see the Joker in the new film, because the new confidence of Harley Quinn may somewhat rely on his absence. The two classic criminals don’t exactly have a healthy relationship, and a number of fans feel as if the Joker acts as a toxic partner in the relationship.
If we were to see a reunion of the two in the future, I’d be interested to see how Harley Quinn’s new attitude would change when she crosses paths with him. Birds of Prey saw Quinn separate herself from her ex-beau, so there's a good chance she wouldn't be quite as impressed by his "charm" if she saw him again.
It sounds like we can expect some pretty great changes in James Gunn’s take on The Suicide Squad, and a new-and-improved Harley Quinn, who's still no longer beholden to her Mr. J., is sure to give fans something to be excited about. You can see how things shake out for the wild antihero when the film hits both theaters and HBO Max on August 6th.
