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Comic book movies are an insanely popular genre in the film world, but they’re also tricky. Different filmmakers each have their own vision, and actress Margot Robbie knows this all too well. James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will mark her third appearance as Harley Quinn, each of which was helmed by another director. Harley was also killed off in the Knightmare sequence of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Robbie has reacted to his news for the first time.
While not seen on screen, Harley Quinn did manage to factor into the four-hour vision of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. In the Knightmare scene it was revealed that Harley died in Batman’s arms, a fact that Margot Robbie was seemingly unaware of until she was doing press for The Suicide Squad. When asked her opinion on this plot twist, the Oscar-nominated actress responded honestly, saying:
Whaaat? I didn't know that. [Laughs] Thank you for telling me!
Well, there you have it. While comic book fans are collectively waiting on pins and needles for any new update about the DC Extended Universe, it’s a different experience being within it. Margot Robbie has been keeping busy, so it seems she wasn’t privy to her character’s fate in the alternate DC timeline.
Margot Robbie’s comments to EW may surprise fans who have spent hours dissecting and discussing every frame of Zack Snyder’s Justice League. But not every actor in the DCEU has done the same, especially since the events of the long-awaited blockbuster aren’t officially canon.
The Suicide Squad will be arriving on HBO Max at the same time as theaters. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
For those who don’t remember, you can re-watch Joker and Batman’s interaction from Justice League’s Knightmare sequence below. In it there’s the reference to Harley Quinn, one that seemingly never crossed the desk of Margot Robbie herself.
Despite being caught off guard about Harley Quinn’s offscreen death in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Margot Robbie doesn’t seem too concerned about that particular plot twist affecting her future in the DC Extended Universe. She explained this dynamic, saying:
I guess it's kind of like the comics. The film version of the DC universe, I actually think they're a lot like the comics. You pick up one comic and something's happening and then you pick up the next comic and maybe that character's not alive, maybe that character's not with that person, maybe that character looks completely different. Each movie is its own sort of thing, and I think that works in the comic book world, and I think that works in the DC film world as well. It's not like Marvel where everything is more obviously linked in a more linear way. It feels like there's so many adjacent stories, worlds, and films happening at the same time, just like there are in the comics.
She’s got a point. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe prides itself on serialized storytelling and crossover events, the DC Extended Universe has taken another strategy over the past few years. Instead stories are more capsulated, with directors given freedom to create without worrying about weaving the narrative into the greater universe. As such, Harley Quinn can die offscreen in one project without it ever affecting Margot Robbie.
Moviegoers can’t wait to see Margot Robbie’s third time playing Harley Quinn when The Suicide Squad hits theaters next month. James Gunn has praised Robbie’s performance in the movie, and has been teasing her wild action sequences. And with the movie’s R-rating, and there’s no telling what type of debauchery Harley will partake in.
The Suicide Squad will hit theaters and HBO Max on August 6th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
