Probably Suicide Squad (2016) is one of the worst superheroes movies since the change of the century, that is indisputable. But although the critic and general opinions went mercilessly for it, the David Ayer grotesque was a big commercial success, grossing worldwide over $745 million. And with current business rules in the movies world that only means one thing: producers Atlas Entertainment and DC Comics are going to exploit a possible franchise until the profits decrease.
Since the release of Suicide Squad (2016), there have been rumors of what are going to be the next adventures of the weird and impossible Jared Leto’s Joker and his troupe. It was rumored that a sequel could be materialized soon with Catalan filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra taking the directional duties over David Ayer. But that sequel seems to be now on hold, and in exchange now we know that the next movie in the Suicide Squad universe is going to be the Harley Quinn spin-off.
Christina Hodson, writer of the upcoming Transformers spin-off Bumblebee (2018) and also attached to write the recently announced Batgirl flick is signed to build the screenplay. Independent writer, producer and director Cathy Yan, whose debut film Dead Pigs (2018) won the Special Jury Prize at this year Sundance Film Festival, is set to direct. The Harley Quinn movie will have its source in the Birds of Prey comic book series published by DC Comics since 1996.
If there was something worth to salvage from Suicide Squad (2016), that is Margot Robbie’s portrait of the dangerous and deranged Harley Quinn. Thanks to her performance, this character became the most notorious visible face of the movie, so it’s fair to foresee that if the franchise has to go on that face has to remain. Margot Robbie is set to reprise her popular role in the spin-off, probably the only thing that can bring some sense to this project. Reportedly, one of her strongest conditions to take the role one more time was that the project would be led by a female figure. And the producers finally decided to please her. So the movie star can be happy with the creative team ensembled with writer Christina Hodson and director Cathy Yan.
The filming of this still known merely as the provisional working title “Untitled Standalone Harley Quinn Film” will commence at the end of the year after Margot Robbie is done with her job at the new Quentin Tarantino film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) where she will incarnate the late Sharon Tate. Tarantino’s film takes place in Los Angeles in 1969 at the height of hippy Hollywood. Leonardo DiCaprio is starring as Rick Dalton, a former popular television star struggling to make it in the movie business. Dalton is joined by his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt. The two happen to live next door to Sharon Tate, and their Hollywood struggle will somehow get caught up in the Charles Manson murders.
Margot Robbie is going to be busy this 2018. And in addition to the mentioned movies in this article, we should add the upcoming Terminal (2018) and Dreamland (2018) where she plays lead roles.
