As Warner Bros. continues to ponder what to do with the financially-successful-yet-critically-maligned supervillain team-up franchise Suicide Squad, it seems absolutely confident in at least one component: Margot Robbies Harley Quinn. The scene-stealing maniac with a heart of gold may feature in not one, but two spin-off movies. The green light on a deranged rom-com project featuring Jared Letos Joker will, according to screenwriters Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, depend on the success of Quinns first spin-off outing: director Cathy Yans all-girl super-squad mash-up previously titled Birds of Prey. However, judging by a new social-media post from Robbie, the studio wants to be sure audiences know this is a Harley Quinn joint and has given the film a tongue-twisting subtitle befitting its crazed star. And you thought Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was a mouthful.
The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is, indeed, the films actual title and not some elaborate joke perpetrated by either Robbie or screenwriter Christina Hodson. While it might read like a twisted Wes Andersonian foray into madcap whimsy, the “emancipation” portion of the subtitle is encouraging news for those fans who prefer Quinn when she stands up to the Jokers abuse and ditches him. Theres some fun animated series stuff with Poison Ivy, for example, when Harley briefly leaves the Joker.
Sadly, Poison Ivy wont be along for the ride in Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), but Robbies character will be joined by Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Huntress, Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Black Canary, Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya, and Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain. If anyone can shake Quinn out of her perverse addiction to the Joker, its these ladies.
Thats assuming, of course, that Quinns “emancipation” is actually from the Joker. Its hard to reconcile that potential premise with a follow-up rom-com about the Joker. If theres a romantic emancipation to be had here, it seems sadly short-lived. But either way, audiences will get a chance to see Robbies Quinn team up with the rest of these ladies to take down Ewan McGregors villainous Black Mask on February 7, 2020. Whats not to love about that?
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Get Vanity Fairs HWD NewsletterSign up for essential industry and award news from Hollywood.Joanna RobinsonJoanna Robinson is a Hollywood writer covering TV and film for VanityFair.com.
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