The Suicide Squad will showcase the DCEU returns of several fan-favorite characters, and one of them is Harley Quinn. Played by Margot Robbie, the anti-hero stole the show when she first showed up in David Ayer’s Suicide Squad back in 2016, earning positive reception from fans and critics.
Ultimately, the character’s popularity led to her own spin-off in the form of 2020’s Birds of Prey. The film featured the team-up of Harley alongside popular DC characters like Black Canary, Huntress, and Renee Montoya. Robbie's performance as Harley was once again praised by critics, but it wasn't enough to boost the box-office sales of the film.
While talks of a potential Birds of Prey sequel are still shrouded in mystery, The Suicide Squad presents an opportunity to create more story possibilities for the famed DC anti-hero. Marketing for the film revealed that a good chunk of the runtime will include Harley and her antics, and it will be interesting to see how the character will propel the hybrid reboot/sequel.
Now, the Harley Quinn actress has opened up about the post-The Suicide Squad future of the anti-hero.
MARGOT ROBBIE OPENS UP ABOUT DCEU FUTURE
Margot Robbie recently sat down with Entertainment Weekly to talk about her DCEU future as Harley Quinn.
The Suicide Squad actress admitted that she needs a break from portraying the anti-hero due to the fact that she filmed Birds of Prey and the James Gunn-directed sequel back-to-back, pointing out that she doesn't know when fans will see her character next:
"It was kind of back-to-back filming Birds... and filming this, so I was kind of like, oof, I need a break from Harley because she's exhausting, I don't know when we're next going to see her. I'm just as intrigued as everyone else is."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR HARLEY QUINN?
It's understandable that Margot Robbie is unaware of DC's future plans for Harley Quinn, especially now that the multiverse concept is the main driving force of the franchise. This is further amplified by the fact that there are no other projects lined up for the famed anti-hero.
There's a good chance that plans will be clearer once The Suicide Squad hits HBO Max and theaters, considering the fact that James Gunn strongly teased that fans shouldn't get attached to the characters due to the film's high death toll. While it's unlikely that the sequel will kill off Harley, anything is possible at this point.
If Harley does survive Task Force X's mission in Corto Maltese, it's reasonable to assume that there are many opportunities for the character's return down the line. Given that John Cena's Peacemaker has been given his own HBO Max series, it's possible that the same can be done with Harley to potentially add more depth to the character's complicated yet fun DCEU storyline.
On the film side of things, another sequel to The Suicide Squad is possible, mainly due to the fact that Harley is already a common staple of Task Force X. Another way for the character to return is either the aforementioned Birds of Prey sequel or a Harley Quinn team-up film alongside Poison Ivy and Catwoman in the form of the Gotham City Sirens.
For now, fans will get to witness more of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn in The Suicide Squad when it premieres on HBO Max and in theaters on August 6, 2021.
