Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell star in a film together for the first time in Kogonada‘s “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” in theaters next month. But in some alternative universe, the pair could’ve potentially shared the screen in 2020’s “Birds Of Prey,” if Matt Reeves hadn’t gotten involved.
Variety reports (via EW) that Robbie shared a secret about “Birds Of Prey” Farrell was previously unaware of in a new interview with the outlet: The Penguin was the original villain in Christina Hodson‘s first draft of the DC movie. “And then Matt Reeves said, ‘Don’t use the Penguin. I’m going to use him in my thing [2022’s “The Batman,]'” Robbie told Farrell. “And so we swapped it to Black Mask.”
Could this story be true? Sure: Reeves was an executive producer on “Birds Of Prey,” so he would’ve had creative oversight on Hodson’s script and forced her to replace The Penguin with other members of Batman’s rogue gallery. And apparently, that’s what happened. Ewan McGregor would go on to play a queer-coded version of Black Mask, aka: crime boss Roman Sionis, in the film, with Chris Messina as his henchman, Victor Zsasz.
Of course, Robbie’s anecdote came as a shock to Farrell, who played Oz Cobb/The Penguin in Reeves’ 2022 film and the 2024 HBO Max series “The Penguin.” When the actor asked Robbie how Hodson’s version of The Penguin was, the actress replied, “amazing.” “It’s probably on my computer,” Robbie said about Hodson’s script. “You could read it.” Farrell will reprise the character again in Reeves’ sequel “The Batman: Part II,” in theaters October 1, 2027.
But will Robbie ever reprise her role as Harley Quinn again? The actress played the anti-hero villainess three times: in James Gunn‘s “The Suicide Squad,” “Birds Of Prey,” and David Ayer‘s “Suicide Squad” from 2016. As of now, if Robbie returns as Quinn, it’s most likely to happen Andy Muschietti‘s “The Brave And The Bold,” the first film to feature Batman in the DCU. As for a cameo in “The Batman: Part Two”? Don’t count on it. Reeves’ franchise takes place in a standalone universe, and Robbie’s Harley doesn’t match its tone (or its new Joker, played by Barry Keoghan).
As for “A Big Bold Beautiful Journey,” the film hits theaters on September 19.
