If you try to follow the continuity of the DCEU, from “Man of Steel” through the Snyder Cut and into the upcoming “The Suicide Squad,” you might have questions. But that’s okay! The DCEU isn’t the MCU and continuity doesn’t mean nearly as much to the filmmakers, as long as the story is good. And so that means you can have films where it’s revealed that Harley Quinn died (“Zack Snyder’s Justice League”) but then she shows up kicking ass in “The Suicide Squad” later in the same year.
One thing that the lack of continuity doesn’t help is the actor’s control over a character, as was revealed in a recent interview with Margot Robbie over at EW. You see, as she’s now out promoting “The Suicide Squad,” she didn’t know about Harley’s fate that was revealed in the Snyder Cut earlier this year. Obviously, unlike the diehard fans, she hasn’t taken the time out to sit through all four hours of Zack Snyder’s superhero magnum opus.
“Whaaat?” said Robbie about the Snyder Cut ending. “I didn’t know that. [Laughs] Thank you for telling me!”
As many fans of the DCEU features already know, the films that exist in that superhero universe are much less connected than that of the Marvel Studios competition. Warner Bros. has been clear in its desire to think less about continuity and more about storytelling when giving the greenlight to projects. So, it’s not all that uncommon to see different iterations of characters show up in the various films. And when you throw in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” which more so than other features already exists in its own world, things get a bit more convoluted.
However, as Robbie explained, she’s cool with Harley’s story going in different directions with different directors because that’s just how DC Films operates, which is similar to the comic books that inspire the stories.
“I guess it’s kind of like the comics,” Robbie said. “The film version of the DC universe, I actually think they’re a lot like the comics. You pick up one comic and something’s happening and then you pick up the next comic and maybe that character’s not alive, maybe that character’s not with that person, maybe that character looks completely different. Each movie is its own sort of thing, and I think that works in the comic book world, and I think that works in the DC film world as well. It’s not like Marvel where everything is more obviously linked in a more linear way.”
She continued, “It feels like there’s so many adjacent stories, worlds, and films happening at the same time, just like there are in the comics. So, yeah, I didn’t know that, but it doesn’t necessarily change what other people are able to do with this universe, I don’t think. What one director decides I don’t think dictates what another director might be able to pick up and do with the world and the characters, which is fun. I think that’s an appealing aspect for directors in the DC world, they can make it their own, the way James [Gunn] did [in ‘The Suicide Squad’]. He didn’t have to be beholden to the version that David Ayer set up [in ‘Suicide Squad’]. He could pick it up and make it his own, which I’m sure was more appealing for him.”
As for when we might see Harley Quinn show up in a new film, Robbie isn’t sure, but she thinks it’s going to be a little bit of time.
“It was kind of back-to-back filming ‘Birds’… and filming this, so I was kind of like, oof, I need a break from Harley because she’s exhausting,” Robbie said. “I don’t know when we’re next going to see her. I’m just as intrigued as everyone else is.”
“The Suicide Squad” debuts in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6.