Margot Robbie Says Harley Quinn Is a Catalyst of Chaos in The Suicide Squad
We're just a few months away from the debut of The Suicide Squad, the next film within the main DC [...]
We're just a few months away from the debut of The Suicide Squad, the next film within the main DC Films universe. In addition to introducing audiences to some of the lesser-known villains and anti-heroes from DC's arsenal, the film will feature a number of returning characters, including Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn. After appearing in 2016's Suicide Squad and last year's Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn), The Suicide Squad is set to bring a new chapter to her story — and according to Robbie, it will be a chaotic one. In a recent interview with Total Film, the actress spoke about Harley's role in the ensemble's proceedings, and how she saw eye-to-eye with writer-director James Gunn about that.
"One of the first things I said to James was, I think Harley is a catalyst of chaos," Robbie tells Total Film in the new issue, headlined by The Suicide Squad. "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."
"[In terms of] how she's changed, it's just always interesting to explore what characteristics different directors gravitate towards from the character," Robbie continued. "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."
Robbie previously spoke about the ways that Harley has flourished under different directors' visions, arguing that that's part of the fun of playing her onscreen.
"I can tell you that it's going to be incredible," Robbie explained of the film in a previous interview. "And again, it's just interesting to see what a different filmmaker makes of Gotham and these characters and Harley, really. I'm fascinated by what James Gunn finds interesting in her compared to what [Birds of Prey director] Cathy [Yan] finds interesting, compared to what [Suicide Squad director] David [Ayer] found interesting about her. [James is] such a comic book lover, so it's going to be rooted in the source material, which is always important to me."
In The Suicide Squad, welcome to hell — a.k.a. Bell 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 pyscho, Harley Quinn. Then arm them heavily and drop them (literally) on the remote, enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese.
The Suicide Squad will see the return of Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman as Colonel Rick Flag, and Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang from 2016's Suicide Squad. Joining them in the film are David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Steve Agee as King Shark, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, John Cena as Peacemaker, Nathan Fillion as T.D.K., Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Flula Borg as Javelin, Mayling Ng as Mongal, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Michael Rooker as Savant, Alice Braga as Sol Soria, and Sean Gunn as Weasel.
The Suicide Squad is set to be released both in theaters and on HBO Max on August 6th.
