Harley Quinn made her live-action debut in 2016's Suicide Squad, a film that was widely panned by critics and fans alike for its poor characterization and overall story. Despite all of this, Quinn proved to be a standout for Warner Bros. and DC. So, it wasn't entirely surprising when Warner Bros. decided to expand upon Quinn's role going forward with Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn).

Although Birds of Prey marks Margot Robbie's return as Harley Quinn, the film will exist on its own, entirely separate from Suicide Squad. This isn't to say that the film won't reference bits of Quinn's story from that film, though. After all, thanks to set photos, we do know that a Joker that looks very much like Leto's take will at least make a cameo in the film. And despite some outfit changes, Quinn's overall appearance hasn't been altered all that much. So, how exactly will Birds of Prey manage to stand on its own? By telling its own self-contained story.

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Writer Christina Hodson, who is also set to pen Batgirl for Warner Bros. and DC, took her love for the character and the Birds of Prey -- with the exception of Batgirl -- and sought to tell an original story. In an interview with Total Film, Hodson explained how she approached the story for the latest film. Rather than forcing herself to stick to the story told by Suicide Squad, Hodson made it a point to tell a story that doesn't have to "feel like it follows one or the other."

"Obviously, yes, it's a character we have met before, but it's really its own story, and that's kind of how I approached it," she said. "I just tried to take myself off-leash. I fell in love with this character, and then all of these other new characters. And I just created a brand new story that felt like its own thing, and that doesn't have to feel like it follows one or the other."

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Birds of Prey will not be the only film to tell its own contained story separate from the one told in 2016's Suicide Squad. Writer and director James Gunn was hired to work on the follow-up to Suicide Squad for Warner Bros. and DC. However, that film isn't going the sequel route either -- as evidenced by its title, The Suicide Squad. And while Quinn will also be returning for that it seems that story, too, will tell a self-contained story that can exist alongside Birds of Prey without having to tie into it.

Now, this is a move that could hurt the film, sure. After all, Marvel Studios' success with the Marvel Cinematic Universe is built on constructing a cohesive story told throughout various entries. However, Warner Bros. and DC haven't had as much luck ke with this method -- resulting in rushed properties that failed to impress both critics and fans alike. So, the idea of the studio allowing its creatives to take risks when there is no certainty of success? It's a smart move; the future of the DC Extended Universe isn't in its past --- it's in its future. (And more than likely with Harley Quinn.)

Directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) stars Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez, Ewan McGregor, Steven Williams, Derek Wilson, Dana Lee, Francois Chau, Charlene Amoia, Chris Messina and Matthew Willig. The film is scheduled for release on Feb. 7, 2020.

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