Birds of Prey Writer Christina Hodson Is Excited For DC Film

CBR

Birds of Prey Writer Is 'Super F-ing Excited' For the DC Movie

By Brandon Zachary

Published Dec 29, 2018

Birds of Prey writer Christina Hodson talks getting the opportunity to write the upcoming DC film.

With the long, but amusing, title Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), Warner Bros.' Suicide Squad spinoff is set to begin production early next year, returning Margot Robbie to her breakout role as Harley Quinn. Directed by Cathy Yan from a script by Christina Hodson (Bumblebee), the film teams the fan-favorite antiheroine with DC's Black Canary, Huntress, Renee Montoya and Cassandra Cain for what promises to be a, well, fantabulous big-screen adventure.

While speaking with Hodson during a junket for her Transformers prequel Bumblebee, CBR asked the in-demand screenwriter about introducing these characters for a new audience, and redefining them for longtime fans.

Saying she's “super fucking excited," Hodson elaborated about the thrill of becoming part of the so-called DC Extended Universe. “I obviously did a deep dive on all of [the characters] when I got started, and was choosing what characters I wanted to play with," she said. "I love them for all different reasons.”

Hodson, who also wrote the screenplay for Warner Bros.' planned Batgirl film, said Birds of Prey doesn't pull from any one comic story. Instead, it focuses on creating a fresh take on the DC Universe.

“[The characters] have all been through so many different iterations," she said. "What’s exciting is, I’m not just taking one canonical thing and then doing my own spin. There’ve been many different versions of them, and I get to pick and choose the best bits.”

“It’s an honor and a privilege,” she added. “It’s a little daunting but I’m super-excited about it."

Plans for a Robbie-led female superhero film began even before the 2016 release of director David Ayer's Suicide Squad, referred to alternately as Gotham City Sirens and Birds of Prey (both titles of DC comics). Although questions surrounded the project, it was fast-tracked by Warner Bros. in April with the selection of relative newcomer Yan as director. A cast, which also includes Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosie Perez and Ewan McGregor, was then quickly assembled.

Robbie revealed the film's full title, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), in November, saying it perfectly reflects the not-so-serious tone.

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, Chris Messina, and Matthew Willig. It is scheduled to be released on Feb. 7, 2020.