Harley Quinn actor Margot Robbie has discussed how The Suicide Squad's version of the character will differ from her previous appearances in the DC Extended Universe.
"One of the first things I said to [The Suicide Squad writer/director] James [Gunn] was, I think Harley is a catalyst of chaos," Robbie told Total Film magazine. "She’s not necessarily your narrative center, and sometimes it’s great when plot points can rest on other characters’ shoulders, and she can be the thing that erupts a whole sequence of events. That’s something I felt he agreed with, based on what I was reading in the script."
Robbie first played Harley Quinn in 2016's Suicide Squad, as directed by David Ayer. While the film earned less-than-stellar reviews, it was a box office hit that led to Robbie starring in her own DCEU spinoff, Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). Directed by Cathy Yan, Birds of Prey received a much warmer reception from critics yet struggled to take off at the box office, becoming the second-lowest grossing DCEU movie ahead of Wonder Woman 1984 -- a film released during the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
According to Robbie, Ayer, Yan and now Gunn have all focused on different aspects of Harley's personality. "[In terms of] how she’s changed, it’s just always interesting to explore what characteristics different directors gravitate towards from the character," she explained. "The common denominator is the source material, which is what I always built the character off anyway. Then she evolves in different ways under different people’s direction."
The full synopsis for The Suicide Squad reads,
Welcome to hell—a.k.a. Belle Reve, the prison with the highest mortality rate in the US of A. Where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out—even join the super-secret, super-shady Task Force X. Today’s do-or-die assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport, Peacemaker, Captain Boomerang, Ratcatcher 2, Savant, King Shark, Blackguard, Javelin and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag on the ground to make them behave…and Amanda Waller’s government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement. And as always, one wrong move and they’re dead (whether at the hands of their opponents, a teammate, or Waller herself). If anyone’s laying down bets, the smart money is against them—all of them.
Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad stars Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Michael Rooker as Savant, Flula Borg as Javelin, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Mayling NG as Mongal, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Sylvester Stallone as King Shark, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Sean Gunn as Weasel, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, John Cena as Peacemaker and Steve Agee, Taika Waititi and Storm Reid. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Aug. 6.
Source: Total Film magazine, via GamesRadar+