Are there outstanding questions about the nature of James Gunn’s DC Studios and what characters are moving forward and which ones aren’t? It depends on who you ask. Gunn, who directed “The Suicide Squad,” has said in the past that Peacemaker (John Cena) and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) are moving forward, and so is Xolo Maridueña from “Blue Beetle.” But if you directed a ‘Suicide Squad’ movie and made a” Peacemaker” spin-off series from it, wouldn’t you want all the remaining members of the team to move forward to have consistency (especially since you cast and or worked with all of them once already?)
READ MORE: James Gunn Confirms Three Actors Returning To Their DC Roles In The New DCU
One would argue that’s one of the sticking points some fans have with Gunn’s DCU moving forward, and perhaps chiefly, is Margot Robbie going to continue as Harley Quinn in the DC Studios universe?
Maybe not so much. In a recent Variety interview, Robbie was asked point-blank if she would return as Harley Quinn. While she didn’t say no, she didn’t say yes either and basically side-stepped the question with a non-answer, though one that suggests she’s not sticking around and they’re passing on the character to another actress.
“I always wanted Harley to be a character that would get passed on to other actresses to play, the way there are so many iconic male characters. That was always the dream for her,” she said, not directly answering the question.
Asked if she was hanging up the character because Lady Gaga is playing Harley Quinn in the upcoming “Joker: Folie à Deux” film, she basically continued with the non-committal answer.
“Harley’s so fun and can go in so many different directions. You put her in someone else’s hands, and it’s like, “What are they going to do with her?” The options are endless,” she said evasively.
READ MORE: Margot Robbie Doesn’t Think ‘Barbie’ Needs A Sequel: “We Put Everything Into This One”
One would think if she were definitely returning to the role, she would say yes, or at least, I would love to stay. Given what Gunn has already said, plus this vague answer, don’t be surprised if she doesn’t return in the role, she has moved on to mogul role with her new LuckyChap company that produced the #1 movie of 2023: “Barbie.”
As for the rumors of a “Barbie” sequel or a Ken spin-off, it doesn’t sound like sequels are the first thing on anyone’s mind.
“It’s funny, that knee-jerk reaction in this day and age for everyone to immediately ask about a sequel,” she said. “I don’t think it was like that 20 years ago. This wasn’t designed to be a trilogy.”
Robbie’s LuckyChap producing partner (and spouse), Tom Ackerley, was more forthcoming. “We can definitively say we haven’t planned a sequel; we’re still focused on this movie.”
So again, not a no exactly, but not a resounding, we have three films planned.
Robbie continued, suggesting “Barbie “director Greta Gerwig really went for it, and if she would attempt it again, she would really have to think about where to go with the property.
“Everything went into ‘Barbie’ — and that’s how Greta works. She finishes every movie on empty, feeling like she could never make another movie because she put everything she had into that one,” she said.
“So I don’t know what it would take to fill that cup up again for [Greta]. Or for us. I think Warners would also agree. I don’t know what more could even look like. We want to make more films that have the effect that “Barbie” has. I don’t know if it has to be ‘Barbie 2.’ Why can’t it be another big, original, bold idea where we get an amazing filmmaker, a big budget to play with, and the trust of a huge conglomerate behind them to go and really play? I want to do that.”’ Why can’t it be another big, original, bold idea where we get an amazing filmmaker, a big budget to play with, and the trust of a huge conglomerate behind them to go and really play? I want to do that.”
It sounds like everyone is happy to take a long break from “Barbie at least,” and frankly, if they want to continue with Gerwig, they’ll have to; she has two ‘Narnia’ movies in the works at Netflix she’ll have to contend with first.