Margot Robbie Out, Harley Quinn Being Recast?
Is Margot Robbie done as Harley Quinn?
The Suicide Squad may have been the last time Margot Robbie suited up as Harley Quinn. Following an underwhelming box office debut, Warner Bros is rumored to be in search of a new actress to take on the role. According to Beyond The Trailer, the studio wanted to see how well Robbie’s interpretation of Harley was received before deciding the character’s future in the DC Extended Universe.
However, several factors contributed to The Suicide Squad’s poor box office performance, including the growing concern over the Delta variant of Covid-19, the film’s simultaneous release on HBO Max at no extra charge to subscribers, and its R-rating. While the casting rumors may come as a disappointment to Margot Robbie fans, the actress was planning to take a break from playing Harley anyway.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Margot Robbie said filming The Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey back-to-back was tiring. She also noted that and playing Harley is “exhausting” so some time off from the character is something she’s looking forward to. “I don’t know when we’re next going to see her. I’m just as intrigued as everyone else is,” she told the publication.
Margot Robbie first took on the role of Joker’s accomplice and on-again, off-again girlfriend in 2016’s Suicide Squad. At the time she described Quinn as one of the Squad’s most manipulative members. She also called her relationship with Joker “incredibly dysfunctional” adding that Quinn is, “mad about him – like, literally, mad. She’s crazy. But she loves him. And it’s a really unhealthy, dysfunctional, addictive relationship.”
In 2020, Margot Robbie took on the role once more in Birds of Prey with a performance filled with suitably manic energy, which may why she feels so exhausted. Unfortunately, her time off means there will be no Birds of Prey sequel and the Gotham City Sirens movie, with Harley teaming up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy probably won’t be moving forward anytime soon.
If The Suicide Squad is Margot Robbie’s last outing as the supervillain, the studio could introduce viewers to a new Harley Quinn in 2022’s The Flash movie. The multiverse story arc would be a great way to bring in a few versions of the character to see which one works best.
Directed and written by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad follows the imprisoned convicts of Belle Reve penitentiary who are sent as members of Task Force X to the South American island of Corto Maltese to destroy Jotunheim. The Nazi-era prison and laboratory held political prisoners and conducted experiments on them. But during their mission, the squad comes into conflict with Starro, a giant, telepathic alien starfish.
The Suicide Squad features an ensemble cast that includes Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, Idris Elba as Robert DuBois/Bloodsport, John Cena as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, and Sylvester Stallone as the voice of Nanaue/King Shark. Rounding out the cast are Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Jai Courtney as George “Digger” Harkness /Captain Boomerang and, Peter Capaldi as Gaius Grieves /The Thinker.
The Suicide Squad is currently playing in theaters and on HBO Max.
